Krait book 14d The Castle of the Eagles
by slytherinsal
Summary: Jade is setting up her new school for goblins and blood taints in Germany, and discovers more pupils than she had anticipated when she finds an awful orphanage. It's not just a case of teaching the youngsters to do enough magic for the new ZAP exam, but teaching some of them to overcome stereotypes and co-exist in harmony. Rated for things that have happened to some of the kids
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

There was a lot to do in the time before the new school would start; there had been some applicants already but Jade also wanted to poke around into the poorer neighbourhoods, especially those where she owned property, to see who else might be in need of education. She could not take anyone older than sixteen – next year perhaps she might teach to ZH for those who had been to small schools offering three, four or five ZP's, but setting up a new school meant her new, inexperienced teachers would have to adapt to teaching at a low level; they too were learning. And all the school would be new!

There would be a significant number of goblins from the street in Neubrandenburg where the tannery was; and some too would come in with a modicum of education. Traudl Mondschein had boarded – Jade had paid – with Albert Gerecht, father of Beremud at Durmstrang and manager in the tannery; and had set up a school to bring on such older ones as she might and to help the old potioneer with teaching advanced literacy skills. And some of the younger ones had been prepared to put in the extra work – for many were already working at least part time – to be ahead when the new school started; and with such industry, Jade had decided that the two eleven year olds who had stayed the course of hard work should be permitted to start in an advanced class with their older fellows. As one of the younger ones was Hato, the son of the foreman under Herr Gerecht, this was an example to others; and the foreman's brother's oldest children were two others, Lehrt, who was already thirteen and his sister Higith who would otherwise have been a first year. The other older lad who had worked hard for an education was Witlac, who in the second year would be with his chronological age. Jade thought it sad that many of the older youths – and even some younger ones – preferred to give their time to earning than learning, being too short sighted to realise that with magical skills they would be earning far more if they but put in a few years' hard academic graft.

Witlac's older brothers were a case in point; at fourteen and fifteen Jade would have been happy to have taken them if they had only wanted it; but they jeered at him for wanting to spend his little leisure time learning while they went out playing or drinking. Witlac was determined that his little sisters should have the chance at education too, and told them to ignore brothers who told them that all a girl needed to know was how to cook, clean and open her legs. He told them fiercely that they should use their brains and be glad to have them; unlike Hato gan Sigrik's twin brother. The foreman's son's twin was born after Hato and after complications, and was born blue, and suffering brain damage; he was an amiable child, and trainable to do simple tasks but it would have been a waste to send him away to school, that would in any case only have upset and confused him. And it was hardly any wonder that Witlac accused his brothers of making themselves be like Hazan.

There would be three other eleven year olds from the street of the Tannery who had not managed for one reason or another to pull ahead; one of them because none of the goblins had realised that Jade offered places too to such as the half breed girl whose mother had, after being raped by a human, been discarded by both parents and the man she was to marry and had no choice but to become the local whore; though at least she had the spirit to refuse her services to the man who had

jilted her, as Traudl found out, because he tried to dissuade the 'Noble Witch' from having anything to do with the woman and her child. Traudl had cold-cocked him.

The girl Mava was hungry for education, eager to hear stories that in England it was not shameful to be a half breed; and Traudl brought her on as far as she might, which was mostly giving her a basic education in literacy and numeracy and suggesting that as she did not find numbers hard she should work on Arithmancy. Traudl also suggested, when she found out that the custom was to call bastards 'gan Prok' or 'child of no man' that Mava pick a surname. She empathised strongly with the child, seeing much of her little sister in her and suggested the name Sternschein reflecting her own name and suggesting that anyone who wished might shine like a star. Traudl intended to keep an eye on this little one! And as the community as a whole was putting their money towards buying equipment for the children but many refused to be a party to it if Mava was to be sponsored, Traudl lost her temper and said that as they were so uncharitable she would see to all the child's expenses herself and be damned to them when she outperformed some of their acceptable pupils for having even more incentive to learn.

It may be said that neither Sigrik nor his brother Sittig approved of the treatment of Mava; but they had to rely on the good will of the community to help equip their children; and Sigrik spoke to Traudl of his gratitude and approval that she should show the way past blatant unfairness. And at least Mava would have friends in THEIR children; nor were the two other girls in her class unsympathetic. They were twins and were old enough to realise that Mava's mother's fate could happen to any girl; and shrewd enough to be sympathetic rather than using the old expedient of hating what they feared. Which attitude probably came from their mother who, with nine children, might envy Mava's mother's open use of contraception but had been a friend of hers from childhood though she was discreet enough about any sympathies she might hold!

Traudl had been pleased that girls had been chosen to go to school, but Sigrik had grunted and said that girls could be spared; and that if they could learn enough the community would expect them to teach young boys so that they would not have to send earning boys away. It was a cynical, but probably truthful assessment. Saeyth and Milhd's two older brothers worked and would not even try to learn more; it was to be hoped that by the time the girls and their next two siblings were able to show off what they were learning their father might permit the next brother down and ultimately the youngest boy to come too; since they were two of five girls.

oOoOo

There were two human children coming from Neubrandenberg too; a first year girl from the Perükestrasse, recommended by the Anwalten, or legal advisors, Genaumann and sons; and an older boy, who had done two years in the local dame school. This lad, Reiner Kurtz, was bright enough, old Herr Genaumann felt, to be pushed further than his current school could manage; and had duly suggested it to his father. Herr Kurtz was paying a partial fee; as much as he was currently paying the dame school plus the cost of outfitting the boy. Jade would not wound his pride by waiving all fees!

Jade was glad there would be some coming who knew something; it would perhaps give her a basis for future prefects. In some ways taking those who were already getting some education was not what she had intended; but the brightest DID deserve more and it would be nice to have a cadre of pupils with some knowledge. Indeed there were to be three boys effectively in a third year; the other two had been to a dame school in Berlin for three years, but with a small and eclectic selection of studies – charms, enchanting, potions and care of beasts – under the slightly hit-and-miss tutelage of the two sisters who ran it, Jade had insisted that they drop a year to the third and if they studied hard, she might see about subsequent promotion. Herman Meyer was the nephew of the tailor's wife in one of the buildings Jade owned in the Schattenstrasse; and he was, on his aunt's assessement, entirely unburdened with racism. He had suggested that his friend Jurgen Lötze come too; and so it was to be. Jurgen had a touch with animals, so had been pleased to have that as a study; he would be a star pupil for Mischa Seregin. And he too got on fine with goblins and often helped his friend to see home such goblin women as did piece work for Frau Schnürnagel the tailor's wife and seamstress. Indeed, one of the mixed race children to be starting was sponsored by Frau Schnürnagel as far as she was able, a child of a seamstress; another child of a goblin woman by a human who had either raped her, or deceived and left her. By Jade's suggestion the child Elva was to take the surname 'Nagel', needle. It could mean so many things.

The other three part bred goblins were to come from the apartment that operated as a discreet brothel; Ktell Klugmann was the oldest at fifteen, and he had chosen his own name and insisted that the others do likewise; Abert gan Kessel was only about an eighth human and passed as goblin on first sight at least; his name being a black joke on the failure of the contraceptive draught that resulted in him. Viva Mittwoch was born, as her name said, on a Wednesday.

Traudl had held forth in some irritation about the lack of interest in schooling amongst older boys; and Jade had shrugged.

It was their loss.

And at least she had interest from the goblins of the mining village of Kobboldsheim, though there some older boys were the main breadwinners; until Jade insisted on safety measure, the mortality rate had been high.

Even in a small community, four children in the age group were to come, three of them older ones; the youngest child was the oldest of the family who had given hospitality to Jade after she had rescued and healed the trapped miners, Lurtz gan Sidor; who had studied under Ritter with the older children but asked if he might be in the first nevertheless as he felt he had made a poor showing in both charms and potions and wanted to study the lessons over. Jade respected that. One of the older ones was to be learning from scratch; Safraxa gan Beric had missed most of the benefit of Ritter's teaching as she had been bitten by a doxy and suffered a severe allergic reaction; by the time Ritter had been told he had been able to save the little girl's life but she was much weakened. Ritter did not think she would have much trouble catching up; what little he had seen of her abilities – he had given her a few lessons to keep her from boredom – she had shone at. It was a shame her four older sisters were already married – one to the man Jade had dug out from under rubble and earth – if the family was bright; but she had younger siblings. And the other two older goblin children had worked hard enough to put them in the second; Ervig gan Sabac was fifteen but his father willingly told him that they would manage without his wage for this opportunity; and Ervig was keen to take it, and become one day an engineer. Hegi gan Guthic was just thirteen; and she was keen to consider growing medicinal herbs. Her older sister was married too like Safraxa's; and her brother was over sixteen, but her younger brother was keen to come one day as were Ervig's siblings.

The only other member of the second that there was to be was not from Germany at all; but was a goblin who was a protégé of Clovis Gierek, who had managed, between tracking down the lich Abaris, to bring the girl on far enough to be only a year behind her chronological age; Nuta gan Kolaz had jumped at the opportunity and had put in a lot of hard work.

oOoOo

Jade wanted to go to Berlin for herself and check out other possible children; Hunnic in the Kobboldstrasse and Walther in various human neighbourhoods had provided a list they thought suitable but wanted her to have the final say; they were afraid of making errors of judgement still. Jade appreciated that; and hoped to be able to praise their choices. Some came from the Hexengasse, a wizarding lane that opened off a muggle street with muggle repelling spells on it, where Jade owned one or two houses for rent; as she had decided that her own dependants had priority, any from there should be given such. Wulf had checked out the houses there and found them generally of better class and in fair repair. They were tall buildings, made as single dwellings, but in some cases broken into double occupancy.

Jade went to call; she had sent ahead and asked the two families whose sons would enter the first year to meet her in the house of the Schliemanns, whose son Manfred was an only child; his neighbour Klemens Moser had two younger brothers.

She was welcomed in and introduced to both small boys. One might perhaps have expected two boys who were of an age to be friends, as the only young wizards in the neighbourhood; but it was immediately apparent that there was no such thing; no antagonism but nothing that connected them. And the parents were the same. Manfred Schliemann was a suave youth, with the light of ambition in his eyes who was ready to declare that he was prepared to put up with learning alongside goblins to have a decent education. Jade managed to refrain from murmuring 'how good of you' in case the irony passed him by and he took it at face value. She would watch this one; a suave and condescending little swipe with ambition was a proto-Tom Riddle.

Klemens Moser was a normal, dishevelled little boy who asked sensible questions about goblin issues and seemed genuinely keen to know if they rally could attain levels equivalent to humans; his mother tried to hush him.

"It is a valid question, Frau Moser" said Jade "I am always glad to meet those with a genuine desire to learn – and to learn more about fellow beings as much as learning academic things. Let me put it this way; I have known goblins in English schools more than capable of taking five and more ZH equivalents; and the step son of Lucius Malfoy is taking I believe eight because he had trouble deciding what to give up; and he's tipped for 'O' grade in all of them. He is head of his school house and I would not be surprised to hear he gets elected as head boy for he's a popular youth with a reputation of even handed justice in his capacity as prefect. I think that demonstrates attainment on a number of levels. Now Gorbrin is an exceptional boy; but one has to consider the best that CAN be attained."

"He sounds very clever! Thank you Frau Professor" said Klemens.

With two of Jaromir's protégés, a goblin girl from the village of Strangsdorf, the goblin son of Agata Bacsó's concierge that she had proposed and a young French goblin who had failed to make the standard for Prince Peak who Severus had suggested come to Jade's school instead now it was available, that made a class of fifteen eleven year olds; most of those Hunnic had were older children who would still start at a first year level but would be in a separate class. Classes that were too large were not conducive to learning. She might add up to five eleven year olds under exceptional circumstances but no more than twenty in total. So far she had around half a dozen in the beginners who were older; and did not want more than twice that. The older you were, the harder it was to learn, especially if that was beginning to learn.

She left the boys with instructions to have their robes made by Madam Schnürnagel and a list of kit; they would pay similar fees to those of the dame schools as they could afford it, which would help defray expenses. And the dame school in Berlin took only two dozen in total, as much as two old dears could manage, split into a junior and a senior class; quite unsatisfactory but at least they did their best. Jade planned to have a school on the scale of Durmstrang one day; and to boost local schools too. And then she went to the Kesselstrasse to meet the three youths Hunic thought suitable. It was sad that apart from the Tailor's nephew and his friend nobody from the Schattenstrasse would be coming; the entrenched racism was just too much. Perhaps the successes of Herman Meyer and Jurgen Lötze would raise enough envy that others would follow later; breaking through the barrier of determined imbecility was a darn sight harder than teaching ignorant kids their lessons. Well, if there had been any who had wanted to come with the intent of stirring up trouble and causing mayhem to 'prove' that goblins were useless that would have been worse than meeting the blank wall of determination to accept nothing if goblins got it too.

These were the readers of the 'Ursprungen Sonn' the German equivalent of the 'Daily Prophet'.

oOoOo

Jade was heading for the Kobboldstrasse when a young and ragged goblin boy came forward from the shadows and knelt before her.

"Gracious witch, might I carry your parcels or run errands for the beautiful lady who has no escort?" he said respectfully.

"First off stand up; I refuse to talk to the crown of your head" said Jade. The boy rose and darted a glance up at her before lowering his eyes as was expected of a goblin here in Germany.

He was obviously hungry, with that pinched look and hollow eyes; but the eyes were bright and intelligent.

"If the gracious lady is wishing to lay odds on the World Cup I can calculate odds and find her the best deal" he added.

Jade grinned.

"An arithmancer are you? I don't generally bet I'm afraid. And I just hope to see a good game; Portugal has been very fair to permit Brazilian goblins in – even if it is a means of irritating the Brazilians – and I know a few Poles. So I'm essentially neutral. Have you family, lad?"

He shot her a quick frightened look; and it was then they were approached by a member of the Polizei Algemein, the lesser branch of the Vehmgerichten.

"Come on you, stop bothering the witch – it's the Kinderhaus for you!" he said roughly, reaching for the child's arm.

Jade neatly swung the goblin boy behind her.

"Officer, don't you think it is rather rude to me that you do not first ascertain whether I feel bothered?" she said coldly. "You are standing too close to me; pray take a step back."

This as a tone of voice that underlings obeyed immediately; the Politzist stepped back and bowed deeply, clicking his heels.

"Gnadige Fraulein I apologise if I have caused offence; this ragged brat accosted you and he looks to be an orphan; it is law that orphans without means of support are taken to the Kinderhaus Kobbolden for training in suitable menial skills."

"Let me first correct you; I am a married woman; and I am surprised that you do not recognise me. I am the Frau Baronin Nefrita von Luytens – let us not bother with all the extraneous parts of the title – and the boy approached me after asking if we might meet to discuss his inclusion in my school. So you see, as he is a boarding pupil of mine he is not without means of support; he will perform tasks around the castle in his holidays to cover his board and keep during this time."

The Politzist stared.

"Frau Baronin! Forgive me, I did not recognise you straight away! But where is your escort? Have they neglected their duty and lost sight of you? No-one can realise your consequence if you are not escorted!"

Jade laughed.

"Officer, I am one of the most dangerous witches in the world; why on earth would I need an escort?"

"But – but if someone assumed you were vulnerable, and attacked you…."

"They would learn their mistake the hard way, would they not?" said Jade, gently. "I do not need extraneous followers to give me consequence; I am not so small minded a person that I feel in need of having my consequence boosted. I find such an irritation; I am the lone Jade Wolf and as my husband is busy I am happy to be without excess baggage. And pray tell me why I should have to explain that to you?"

"Frau Baronin, excuse; but it is custom…. People might get the wrong idea about you…. If they did not recognise you!" he said.

"Then that is their problem" said Jade "You will give me the direction of this Kinderhaus Kobbolden; I will, in my capacity as a member of the council, inspect it. Then I and my new pupil will be on our way."

The Polizist quickly wrote down where Jade might find the goblin children's home and bowed a great deal as Jade swept past with her new acquisition.

"Lady, did you mean any of that or was you just being kind to get me out of going to that place?" he asked.

"A boy who has learned enough Arithmancy to calculate odds ought to be in education" said Jade "How old are you and what is your name?"

"I am Ulvik gan Rorik and I'm almost eleven" said Ulvik.

"ARE you an orphan?" demanded Jade.

"Yes ma'am; now. Until last week I had a ma and a baby sister, but they both just faded away" he said. Jade's breath hissed in.

"Dammit boy, why didn't you go to Livi in the brothel? She knows enough potioneering to deal with most women's problems and sickly babies!"

He gazed at Jade as though she were an oracle.

"Cuh, lady, how do you know about her? I DID go and she said it was beyond her and there ain't the new apothecary yet."

Jade sighed.

"I must talk to Livi and ask her to send me an owl if there's a medical emergency; I take it you don't want to work for her?"

"Not hardly" said Ulvik. "No offence but pimping ain't my thing; and it ain't Ktell's thing neither nor Abert's; like being a whore ain't Viva's thing, it's why they want to go to this new school run by the ….. I say, lady, is that you?"

"The posh bint that you managed not quite to say? Yes, I am she. Livi's a good woman; knows that education means the children of her girls won't HAVE to be part of a degrading profession. I guess it's because they're all fairly freelance there rather than her being a madam per se. And I meant it that you can stay in the holidays too and help out with sorting out the assorted mayhem there always is at the end of term; I always used to help my parents with that when I was growing up" she added. "And I'm going to give you reading the quick way; because then too you can help teach the small children in the village. Acceptable as a fee for your board?"

"Oh YES ma'am!" cried Ulvik.

Jade used magic to transfer to him the knowledge of how to read and write; and saw the wonder in his eyes as he gazed about at the many shop signs.

"I knew my letters and could read some things" he said defensively.

"Then you did well" said Jade. "That you are numerate pleases me; Arithmancy is a subject I hold important and I shall be teaching that myself."

Ulvik determined that he would shine in the Frau Baronin's class whatever it took!

Jade decided to see her new pupils first before seeing this Kinderhaus; which could well be dire.

oOoOo

Cnebbic gan Norc was a boy who Jade had already met; he was rising thirteen and had been one of the group of youths who had jeered at the unsuitable Hausmeister she had ejected. His own Hausmeister was a co-operative fellow who sailed close to the legal wind, but looked out for the tenants in the building he oversaw. Cnebbic's companions in learning were to be a pair of brothers, Kole and Vinz gan Doric; there was too a younger brother who would come in next year. Kole was fifteen and Vinz just twelve; and Doric a good man ready to take a gamble to advise his older son to give up relatively well paid work as a scrap merchant's assistant to try to better himself even more. The scrap merchant had been less sanguine and had railed at Kole for getting above himself, Hunnic had told her; and refused to take the boy back 'when he found he could not keep up'. The Scrap Merchant was human.

Jade spoke to the three boys and found them eager; indeed, the third brother, Greniz was so eager to be old enough she almost took him in early; but decided to wait until the last minute to make such a decision and told him that he should have his turn. It would not, besides, be good for Kole to have a little brother so much younger than himself equalling or possibly surpassing him; it would be off-putting. Naturally with a full school life of learning Greniz would probably surpass his brother; but not yet.

That was her class more or less filled; Wulf was busy following up a child who had been chattering on social networking sites about magic; her name was Liesel Bredel and Wulf was tracking her down to a closer vicinity than just Munich. It would help if the German ministry was less lax about the use of underage magic; but of course she had no wand and the German ministry did not follow up the use of random magic by the muggleborn. Anett was to visit her; having a grim faced and scarred wizard turn up in answer to the child's social networking might raise questions over what he was doing looking at such sites and a negative reaction ensuing before he could explain that he was looking for those who used magic.

Which was NOT going to be believed until a dialogue could first be established.

Jade had every intention of having big posters put up in Muggle areas in cities and towns with muggle repelling spells on so that muggleborn wizards and witches could read them and then make a hit on the web site they would set up for the purpose. It was the quickest and easiest way of contacting the talented; technology was great! Allied with magic it was very useful indeed and those of the wizarding world who understood and were not afraid of it had so many advantages!

oOoOo

And now she might turn her attention to the orphanages.

Jade knew something of some orphanages in Germany; the Durmstrang champion of the time of David Fraser's triwizard had been Karl Heinz, who was an orphan; and he was desperate to defect to rescue his little sister from a harsh regime where bullies ruled supreme in the Kinderhaus where she was. Yet the older bullies and Uschi had expected to go to Durmstrang; and it was possible that such Kindehausen were run more or less under the auspices of Odessa. She would pay Karl to look into that. Whether human children of lower birth and no wealth fared better or worse she shuddered to find out; but her first priority was this goblin orphanage, that by the terror on Ulvik's face was bad.

oOoOo

Jade sighed and sent for Walther and Hunnic to give her the consequence these wretched Germans seemed to think she needed. The Kinderhaus Kobbolden was away from the general wizarding society, tucked inside a railway bridge in wizarding space; and nothing but a bare yard and an imposing and forbidding building therein.

Jade blood pulsed Anett and Mortimer who turned up.

"Prepare room for as many orphans as we need to" said Jade "I'm taking the poor little slots out of here soonest."

Anett gasped; Mortimer nodded.

"Grim looking place to grow up" he said. "What about the hunting lodge in the woods? We never got around to doing anything with it because the castle was sufficient."

"There's a hunting lodge in the woods?" said Jade "If you think it's big enough."

"It's big enough" said Mortimer "It's about ten miles from the castle over the muggle border into their definition of Poland; but it's all part of the muggleproof estate."

"Fine; sort it" said Jade. "This is NOT a place children should be; it looks like a ruddy prison."

Ulvik was clinging surreptitiously to her robes; he was still with her for having not been anywhere she might leave him, though he was at least now dressed in better clothes – Jade had asked Cnebbic to run to buy some for fear Ulvik would be picked up by some vindictive Polizist if he set foot away from her influence – and had a meal inside him. They had eaten in the Bierhall which only served food at midday unless bullied and bribed in equal measure; which Jade had proceeded shamelessly to do, because Ulvik was famished. And now she took his hand.

"They can't make you stay" she said, firmly.

He shook his head dubiously; but went with her as she marched into the building.

"Council business" she said to the startled looking young female goblin who was sweeping the floor. "You are one of the orphans?"

The young girl bobbed an awkward curtsey.

"Please gracious witch, yes" she said. "But I have a placement as a maid with a noble wizard called Herr Schiff."

"They send people out to that randy old toad? We can do better for you than THAT" said Jade. "You may show me around child; and do not bother to try to hide anything. I will know."

The girl curtseyed again and led the way.

Jade had seen images of the muggle Romanian orphanages; it was a personal family thing because of the German ministry's use of Romanian orphans in David's triwizard; and he had adopted Vasilica, one of the orphans, and sponsored the other two. Vasilica was a witch, and would in fact be coming with her husband Mischa to help teach care of Magical Beasts. They may have left Hogwarts after taking OWLs but as Hagrid's adoptive son there was little that Mischa did NOT know about beasts of the magical world.

This place made Jade think of a cross between a Romanian orphanage and the school photographs of cowed Victorian children in some of the stricter schools; and it took a deep breath for her to continue.

"Lady? Are you all right?" asked Ulvik.

"From the age of just five until I was seven I grew up in an orphanage that was cruel; this place has not so bad an atmosphere but it has yet the feel of casual cruelty" said Jade. "I do not much like orphanages, though I know well run ones are necessary. We WILL be doing something about this place; and any of the same for human orphans."

"The humans are in the same building with a different entrance" said Ulvik "And only the overall director can move from one to the other."

"Well we shall do so also" said Jade. "We will inspect both; and if there are deficiencies, we shall remove all the children as soon as possible to a better place as my friends who came to talk to me will set up. Lead on further, lassie" she added to the girl.

It seemed that this place trained the children by making them undertake slave labour tasks, presumably with a view to keeping the costs down; long benches of goblin children laboured, right down to small children no more than five years old. Jade ground her teeth.

The goblin overseers did nothing but bow to her; she was a witch.

"Who are you and by what authority are you interfering in here?" a wizard with robes of authority accosted her.

"I am representing the council in a spot inspection" said Jade.

"I received no notice that there would be an inspection!" said the man, irritably.

"No; there is no point holding a spot inspection if you have had time to make the children pretty and order them to look happy or any such, is there?" said Jade.

He stared.

"There would scarce be any point trying to make these ugly little gobbo bastards look pretty; and as for being happy, why should they deserve it?"

"You're fired" said Jade "Hunnic, throw him out."

"With pleasure" said Hunnic.

"How DARE you order a filthy kobbold to lay hands on me! Have you any idea who I am? I have a brother in the Vehmgerichten!"

"Then if he is such a crook as to use his position to undertake personal revenge, I thank you for that information for I shall fire him also" said Jade, calmly. "I am the Frau Baronin Von Strang und Luytens, little man; and you better go quietly or I might just make you go in the form of a pig; it's a shape I practised on the erstwhile Prince Gerhardt when he annoyed me. Should have left him in it; as bacon he might actually have served a useful purpose."

The man went for his wand; and Jade, who did not bother with hers, elevated him by one ankle, cast the tongue lock curse, the bat bogey hex and the slug vomiting curse, all to the amusement, if concealed, of the orphan goblins.

Presumably there were so many orphans because there were no contraceptives permitted and too many mothers died in childbed; and either they were deserted by a father who could not cope or they were unfortunate enough to have a father who met with an accident. And since there were a large number of half breeds here too, perhaps both goblin and human women were inclined to abandon such babies. Or, if they perforce became whores, who died from disease, childbirth, improperly prepared abortifacient or violent clients. She turned to an overseer.

"The children are to do no more work on these production lines; none of them. See to it" she said.

"Please, Gracious Witch, how then will they pay their way? And how will they learn to work?" he asked, bowing deeply.

"They will learn by more practical methods than being thrust onto a production line they can scarcely reach, with tools that are dangerous if not trained in their use, likely to hurt themselves because they are overtired" said Jade, wondering if he felt compassion and truly meant to help the children. His next words dispelled that; for he shrugged.

"Well it don't hardly matter, do it, gracious witch, if a few whore's brats hurt themselves or better yet die of it so they don't need feeding no more?"

"If they were all whore's children, they would still be children who did not ask for the manner of their birth; and no-one can help being orphaned" said Jade, levelly "I believe I can dispense with your services too; you can get out under your own steam or Hunnic can kick you out."

"But lady, I've no-where else to go, no other job!" he whined.

"Funny; that's the position an orphan finds himself in. Only you're adult; get out and get a life" said Jade. Her voice held winter in it.

He got.

"Guess I'm running the place and Walther the human side 'til you move them then" said Hunnic.

"It does rather look that way" said Jade. "Let the poor little brats have a rest for now; we'll go look at the younger ones."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The rooms of the smaller goblins DID remind Jade of Romanian orphans; where they were tied in cots in their own ordure, some older, depressed looking goblin girls trying to keep them clean.

"You do it like this" said Jade "And if you concentrate hard enough you do not need a wand. One spell is _evanesco_ see that sweeps the piles away; the other is _scourgify_ that then cleans. NOT to be used on delicate baby skin but it works on the bedlinen. Babies have still to be done by hand" she added.

Only one of the girls could manage the spells; she looked less downtrodden and could therefore focus her will a bit better.

"Well done! What is your name?" asked Jade.

"Please gracious witch I am Gauda gan Garit" said the girl shyly.

"You are not a Berliner" said Jade.

"No Gracious witch; this is the facility for all the north" said the girl.

"How old are you?" asked Jade.

"Sixteen, gracious witch" said Gauda.

"Hmm, old; but if you are prepared to work I can find a place for you in my school; will you work hard for a basic qualification?"

Gauda knelt and kissed her feet.

"I WISH people wouldn't do that" said Jade "I am owed a curtsey, no more! Now get up silly girl; there are other babies to clean!"

As she spoke she absently picked up a half breed child of about two and a half. The baby girl with dark red hair reached up to her.

"Mama?" she said.

Jade gasped and drew the baby to her, cuddling her close.

"_**We have a daughter Wulf"**_ she sent the though to her beloved husband, with the brief outline of what had occurred.

"_**What you decide is good with me mein leibling"**_ he replied. Wulf would not let her walk all over him, which was one of the things she loved him for so well; but he was happy to accept her judgement any time. And this little one appealed to her heart; and would be a playmate for their son Ralph too. She must be half a year older than him, no more.

"What is her name, Gauda?" asked Jade.

Gauda shrugged.

"Number four. The little ones who come in without siblings to tell their names or who are dumped just get given numbers. She was dumped off on the doorstep so I guess either she got too expensive to feed or her ma died and the other whores wouldn't keep her."

"You make assumption that her mother was a whore?"

Gauda shrugged.

"It's how you get half breeds isn't it, gracious witch? Everyone knows that."

"Then they know nothing" said Jade "What of the girl who is raped by her employer? This child who guides me was to go to a Herr Schiff; I have care of his last goblin maid whom he raped and the child who ensued. What of the human girl raped by a goblin? What of a mixed race couple who have an illicit affair because they truly love? In England they would just get married but then there is less civilised behaviour here because of the Odessa. One of my associates is quarter goblin; his parents and his grandparents were all married. As are the parents of the wife of the headmaster of Hogwarts who is half goblin. One of the nobles of England has a goblin wife and sundry half bred children. You cannot know the circumstances to thus judge, child."

Gauda curtseyed.

"I am sorry noble witch; this is all I know for what people always have said."

"It is true a girl who is raped and bears a mixed race child will often become a whore; this is because she is already condemned and so has no other option" said Jade. "If you will learn and listen you may go far."

"I will do my best, gracious Witch; the English must be very strange, humans here find us ugly."

"Not all of us" said Jade "And Tanjela is extraordinarily beautiful by anyone's standards. And you too can be a pretty girl when you are better fed and happier. You like working with the babies?"

"It is a better job than being a maid" said Gauda.

"You are deft; perhaps you might consider, if you turn out to be good with transfigurations and potions, being a children's nurse" said Jade "And perhaps go on to work at the school or the place to which I purpose to remove all these poor children. You will have to work on humans and goblins both; for I make no segregation or distinction."

"I will learn all I can, gracious witch" said Gauda.

"And I must name this little one" said Jade. "She shall be Lily Grace; after someone important to my family and after my oldest adopted sister. And she's just leaked; so let me make her comfy. And she should be potty trained by now; sheer meanness that you have not been properly trained how to care for these babies properly MOST improper that the oldest among you seems no older than you. IS there a proper nursery maid?"

Gauda curtseyed again.

"No noble witch; it is considered something an older girl should know by instinct."

Jade bit off a short, unpleasant word and resorted to Latin to swear.

Sorting out this place was LONG overdue and she would see the council was made aware of the inadequacies of it. The question was, would the human half be any better!

oOoOo

The only difference in the human half was that the small orphans worked on less risky projects and were at least given the dignity of names bestowed on abandoned infants or those orphaned without siblings old enough to know or care what their names were; and Jade laid out the big beefy woman who exclaimed in horror that Jade held an Abomination and promised to have Lily Grace taken away immediately.

Jade revived her.

"This babe that you call an abomination, my good woman, is now my adopted daughter; and when SHE is inspecting orphanages in twenty years time, you will grovel to her for bearing a name with 'von' in it; you're fired" she said.

WHAT a can of worms!

oOoOo

Jade decided that she would use the quick way to teach Lily to be potty trained; and at the same time blur her memories of sitting in her own filth. The child had not been an orphan more than a few months, fortunately; and her baby memories were of being a much loved baby with a human mother. What had happened she did not know; and the orphanage records told nothing but that she had been left on the doorstep of the orphanage by someone over night. Perhaps a diviner like cousin Callum might find out; perhaps it would remain ever a mystery.

Perhaps some poor girl had had her baby wrested from her and a promise that the baby would not be killed was the way they made her comply; which led one too to wonder what had become of the father. Jade intended to announce her adoption of the little girl to the media and invite a photo shoot and hope that if the baby's mother saw her she would at least be comforted that her daughter was to be well cared for; and maybe might get in touch. If she was still alive. Well, blow the World Cup; there was a baby girl and a small boy to settle into family life, and adopting Ulvik was probably on the cards when he got used to her and Wulf. And work to shift both human and goblin orphans; and she must arrange someone to care for them.

And that would be Helga and Stoyann as soon as they were married; which would fit in around the fecundity of Lucius' wives Tanjela and Finn both of whom were expecting.

She was glad to get back to Wulf and hug him fiercely and pass him his new daughter. Lily stuck out a dubious lower lip.

"Papa" said Jade, firmly. "Come Ralph, come and see your new sister we have brought you."

Ralph came up and dutifully kissed Lily; it was what he had seen his mama do with her sisters. Lily regarded him solemnly.

"She not say much" said Ralph.

"She hasn't been spoken to much" said Jade "You can help with that by telling her things."

Ralph considered.

"Come on Lily" he said.

She was learning the new name; Jade had got little idea of a name whilst using legilimensy, she being always 'babykins'; a singularly silly idea in Jade's opinion. She probably had some heavy German name anyway and Jade did not admire German girls' names on the whole. There was something wrong in a nation of people who felt that names like 'Irmtraut' 'Kunigunde' and 'Hedwig' were suitable for little girls. To Jade they sounded more like brand names of fishing bait, even though she did know the meanings through her knowledge of Ancient Runes. They were even worse than the muggle use of place names like 'Kimberley' – a boy's name anyway – 'Chelsea' and 'Erin'. Though at least they did not come close to the worst name in the world, an American one; 'Randy' or for a girl 'Randi'. WHAT a thing to saddle a child with; and the teenage jokes that would ensue! Still, Americans did not speak English very well; a nation of wankers that did not have a word for it.

Wulf talked to Jade and Ulvik both about the muggleborn girl he had contacted and Anett had visited.

"Anett had to make some demonstrations to the child's parents of course; though now a lot of what their daughter has done made sense" said Wulf "And Anett called me in to deal with their poltergeist. I thought him most unpleasant so I used what we have learned from Seagh about them being of the fey and made him both reveal himself to the muggles and then banished him. I don't want him following the child to school; it is not what I consider well ordered to have a poltergeist."

"Please, Herr Von Luytens, what is a poltergeist?" asked Ulvik

Wulf opened his mouth to explain that the 'von' came with Jade's false identity of Von Strang and shut it again; it had taken all day to break the boy of trying to call him noble wizard.

"A poltergeist is a fey or fairy creature – as, by a long and winding road are too elves and goblins – but more akin to such fey as have no true form nor solid bodies" said Wulf "They are spirits of chaos and malice and are drawn to teenage wizards and witches – and some muggles, those we think carry a magical potential – to feed on the upset of the family over their antics and on the turbulence of teenage emotion. The one at Prince Peak has sworn a watertight contract with the headmaster; the one at Hogwarts is said to have learned to be more amenable and – well, human, I suppose. I did not want to have to start training or making agreements with such; so I used a banishing spell that means it will be disoriented and unable to reform readily for a number of years. Time to lose the trail" he added.

"Nicely done, my dear" said Jade.

"I was quite pleased with my first foray into irritating the fey" said Wulf. "Anyway, she seems, this Liesel, to be keen, and quite laid back about the whole business; she's fourteen. I don't see why she should not catch up to study ZPs and then ZHs; she is hardly older than those who begin their electives after all; merely that we shall choose for her what electives she takes."

"Yes; for therein lies the difference" said Jade "Unless there is good reason to suppose that any child has a talent anywhere, the older starters will learn a complement of no more than seven subjects and will have more lessons in the core curriculum. The first years proper – that's you for one, young Ulvik – will get tasters in all the subjects we have yet mustered and that isn't as many as I'd like. The core curriculum is Charms, Transfigurations, Potions, Arithmancy and DADA; though I have had the ZAP formalised to the first three of those plus any other two, to cover those trained in Dame Schools and those who are dunces at Arithmancy or truly scared by dark arts. The older starters will, in addition, study care of domestic beasts and enchanting; that may give them jobs working with animals or with goblin artificers. They may drop to five subjects so long as the compulsory three are in them if they only want to gain a ZAP. And I'll negotiate with any who are dire at any one subject. The law states a goblin must be an accredited student – ie have proof they attend school – or have qualification to the minimum of the ZAP to bear wands; frankly I'm going to hold onto the wands of all our pupils over the holidays; the ministry may be laxer about under age magic than the English ministry, but it only takes one kid to act the goat, or for that matter one racist decide to do something to discredit our goblins and bang down the drain goes this whole project."

Wulf nodded soberly, and Ulvik listened with fascination that these amazing people could piece together how others would act!

"Once it's normal we'll have less trouble about letting them keep their wands" Wulf said "They keep them still in England's free school, don't they?"

"Yes, in special lockers; that too is because it is a day school and every evening having the kid down the road in your ear to see what you can do is an awful temptation" said Jade. "We have here boarders who will use their wands illicitly for corridor curses and when caught get a teacher-set punishment; a far cry from having the wand broken and a possible prison sentence. It is, however, a start to teaching wand etiquette; not that Germans have much etiquette" she added.

"Please Frau Professor Baronin, is not your husband German?" asked Ulvik.

"No; he's Austrian; big difference" said Jade "Austrians are very mannerly on the whole. The whole Odessa thing has made it that if anyone believes he can bully, then he ignores subtlety, etiquette, basic manners and good taste and tries to force his will on others by browbeating them. Like that ruddy Politzist" she added "I LOVE bullying them back. It was, however, rude to you; and I apologise for that. You are our ward so I am thinking of you as almost English."

Ulvik blushed and stammered something about it being no need to apologise and not to consider him and a thanks for being thought almost English.

"Ulvik, if we adopt you as our son, we will be harder on you in classes for the fact that you do not want to be teacher's pet" said Wulf.

Ulvik stared.

"But sir – I am but a goblin!" he said.

"You are a bright boy and you speak up" said Wulf "And you think. You have joined in learning to do things and have worked with a will; you need not accept and we will not be offended if you prefer to be our ward; but the offer is there. I know my wife well, and I know it crossed her mind from the first."

"I wanted you to settle and be confident before making such an offer" said Jade "AND to know us. For a babe like Lily it is different; she is too small to recall much."

"Would you expect me to change my name?" asked Ulvik.

"Not if you did not want to" said Jade "You can continue as gan Rorik; or as Gorbrin Malfoy-Tobak has done, legalise it along with Von Luytens. Or take your father's name as a middle name and use it as a family name with any sons you have, and set a tradition that it stays in the family."

"I – I meant actually, did you want to change Ulvik" said Ulvik "As you gave Lily a human name."

"I named her a name I like because she had NO name that anyone knew" said Jade "And her few baby memories showed a human mother. Nobody would reasonably expect a child to change their given name – unless they wanted to. It's a form of the Saxon Ulfric I think, wolf-ruler; and goes quite nicely with having a new dad called Wulf. If you want him and me as a dad and mum."

Ulvik frowned in thought.

"Do I have to decide straight away?" he asked.

"No of course not" said Wulf. "I was about to say that you should try to choose before term starts; but if you cannot decide, it is no big deal; your status from ward to son could always be altered at any point in the future. And then too you might wish to choose NOT to be taught by parents and to transfer to Prince Peak; but it would be unkind to send you away almost immediately, before you have really got to know us."

"Thank you sir, for – for thinking about my feelings" said Ulvik "I guess there aren't many humans who care about how a goblin feels."

"It is a growing number now we're educating them" said Jade. "Almost alll your teachers were nice conventional racists without a clue beyond what they had been told until I dragged them to help me cure Black Goblin Fever in Munich and they learned perforce by meeting goblins face to face. And, by the way, I have an adopted brother who keeps his own name; he's a cousin of dad's as it happens and there's a bit of complexity in it and it's to do with inheritance but he's my kid brother, whatever his surname is. And part of it would be down to your relationship with your dad."

"I got on really well with my dad" said Ulvik "Not that I saw a lot of him; he worked such long hours. And there was an accident on the railway and he was killed; and then ma found that she was pregnant. And of course there were always those who asked nasty questions about who had comforted her that she be pregnant, and was the baby really conceived before dad was killed – YOU know what people are like."

"Oh yes" said Jade "It's one of the things that is so telling about there being more similarities than differences between humans and goblins; that tattlemongers like to find something to put the worst possible construction on. And I bet there were those just looking to see if the baby looked like anyone but your father."

"Oh yes, they did; one old besom even said 'oh but she looks fully goblin' in such a tone of surprise and I told her that as my da was fully goblin that wasn't hardly surprising and she gave me a patronising and pitying look, the old cow! And I think she even told people when ma died that it was a judgement on her; isn't that the worst?"

"It is, son" said Jade "And hardly likely that any powers in the universe would be taking so personal an interest; otherwise serial adulterers like Gustav Schiff would have been struck dead long since. Nor any judgement on your baby sister; what was her name?"

"Rikara; to have a bit of da in her name" said Ulvik. "And I tried to take care of ma and Rikara but ma just got iller; and Rikara just faded away."

He burst into tears.

Jade and Wulf put an arm round him each side and he clung to Jade sobbing. Jade started singing gently as to a small child; and with soothing magic in her song she brought forth the grief and then soothed him into healing sleep. Wulf put him to bed. Poor little boy; tragedy on tragedy and then the fear of being placed in a place that seemed to look upon being orphaned as a reason to punish children with imprisonment with hard labour.

Whatever he decided, both Wulf and Jade knew that they would stand as parent figures for him; they could really do nothing else.

And if the other orphans had backgrounds as tragic, well, fate had brought this one to them, and Lily to the attention of Jade; and even Jade did not totally ignore fate.

Jade read out loud the letter she received at breakfast, Ulvik looking self conscious and embarrassed at his outburst of the previous night; which the adults were ignoring.

"Listen to this" said Jade "It's from Takeo Namudzu. You don't know him Ulvik; he was a boy I was teaching last year, had a rotten life, taken away from his mother because boys have to be toughened, and living from the age of about five in a boys' dormitory competing against each other and trying to bear more pain and endurance than each other. He was a bit strange until I got him to talk about it" she added "He wants to put things like that right in Japan, his own country. He says,'dear Sensei' – that's special teacher" she explained "' I have met a muggleborn girl who was changing the peonies blue in the park, without – obviously – a wand. I have spoken with her parents and shown them your castle from the outside and they are willing to pay for her to come to your school; I told them what the fees for Durmstrang are but I do not know in their money. I tried to make an analogy with what a professor earns. I told them you would write by muggle mail but if she can do that – and too she was performing switching spells, putting hydrangea heads on rose bushes – she needs education. I think she had had a bad day at school. She is fifteen already I am afraid, but if she can learn enough to teach some subjects with me I shall then have a female for any female students I take of goblin or muggleborn. I can bring her each term this term; will your castle elves be able to collect her thereafter? If I am at Prince Peak I would not return to Japan for that year but would work my keep I hope.' And he has signed it. Well, I must reply to him; it will make eleven in the upper first."

"It's a good prime number" said Wulf "You planned on around the dozen."

"I did; to take account of finding such as Gauda" said Jade. "Even as I left some room to manoeuvre with the first. I DID have my people find reasons not to take those who might be trouble; though on the whole the blood snobs, goblin and human alike have not wanted to mingle with THOSE types – whichever one of the THOSE they meant – so I didn't have to fudge it too much. From the tiny acorn the massive oak tree grows; and when Ralph's teaching I expect we'll have four houses and a quidditch team that plays international matches and possibly a triwizard or two under our belts."

Wulf laughed.

"Poor little sprog, he hasn't even got to school yet!" he said.

Ralph stopped spooning porridge into himself with some help from Thrytha.

"Ralph be a m'wauder one day" he declared.

"More than likely; marauding DOES run in the family" said Jade "THAT's a story for you, young Ulvik; and I doubt you'll despise it either, Thrytha" she added; and told them how marauders had started to protect the werewolf friend of a group of boys; and how now there were groups of marauders in Hogwarts, Prince Peak and Durmstrang to protect from bullies and from attackers.

"Do we have marauders?" asked Ulvik, his eyes bright and eager.

"Not yet" said Jade "We need volunteers who are inclined to protect who'll accept the danger, the extra studying and the detentions if caught practising their skills by looking for secret passages and getting up to mischief. If a marauder trashes over a bully, he may well get punished for it; both being likely to be punished for fighting. But he will have made a point that he – or she – can stand up to such."

"I guess I see" said Ulvik "They both get punished but he's done more to stiff the creep."

"Exactly" said Jade. "I always knew I'd get it in the neck if I got caught; having a dad as your house master can cramp the style if you don't decide just to take the detentions and accept it."

"YOU were a marauder?" Ulvik was impressed.

"That's why I started it when I did a year at Durmstrang" said Jade.

"And can I be a marauder?" asked Ulvik eagerly.

"If you can put together a team and prove to the older marauders that you are worthy to be invited in; yes" said Jade, making a quick decision. "That's sundry staff members; me and Professor Bane - the quarter goblin man you've seen around – and oh crumbs, that's all" said Jade. "I more or less set up marauders on my own at Durmstrang though; and I had to almost teach them how to maraud. Can you believe, one group had a secret passage out of their own common room and had never found it? They had never even LOOKED for secret passages!"

"May I look for secret passages here?" demanded Ulvik.

"You certainly may – even more for having decent grammar" said Jade.

"Ma used to be a ladies' maid and learned to talk properly and insisted I did" said Ulvik. "I kind of dropped it a bit on the street because it gets you beaten up; but with people who do talk properly it comes back."

"Well YOU'LL be an ornament to the school to show off to convince the brain dead" said Jade.

"And those outside the ministry who are merely imbecilic" murmured Wulf.

Jade laughed.

"Well I shall leave you to maraud, young Ulvik; if you want to involve Thrytha, who deserves a day off, as well as Irmi, who is not a Marauder but is an associate Marauder – one who is there if needed as backup with less mischief – and Eva who might grow up to be a marauder; and if Thrytha wants to go with you I'll have the babies while I write to both Takeo and this child – at least he's put in a piece of paper with her name and address – and then walk down to the village to check on my two who are coming from there" she said. Eva and her mother were staying at the castle as Jade already had care of Eva's half sister Mildryth for Franziska Schiff; and probably the older half sister, Johanna, would live here in the holidays when she had started school this coming term, spending time at the moment as Franziska's maid to give Franziska the chance to catch her up to her chronological age's knowledge.

"Ralph tan m'waud too" said Ralph.

"I think you might get a little tired running up and down stairs" said Jade

"If he and Lily come, if they fall asleep we can put cushions under them and leave them to it" said Ulvik.

"Of course we can" agreed Irmi "Ralph's a big boy and he will help his sister."

"Boys are supposed to help their sisters" agreed Ulvik.

"You ARE kind youngsters" said Jade. What a splendid big brother he would be! She hoped he felt like being their son; though if he was marauding he would also become kindred later in any case! Irmi was too big to enjoy hunting for passages as much – or so at least she pretended – but she would watch the small ones and give Thrytha the chance to be a little girl for once. Which since she was younger than Irmi, poor child, she should have the chance to be from time to time.

oOoOo

Jade took little Mildryth to play in her office; the toddler was not really old enough to have fun chasing around the castle, being a full year younger than Ralph. And Jade wrote encouragingly to Takeo, thanking him for finding her a suitable pupil to train up to help him and reminding him that he had only to pulse her if he needed her aid or to write if he wanted reassurance.

She then wrote a polite note of welcome to the girl Shizue and to Mr and Mrs Tsuda her parents with a conversion of her fees into Yen from Sterling. Like Prince Peak her fees would be lower than Durmstrang, where one paid too for the snob value; paying students at Schloss Adler would subsidise the rest, and the fees were on a sliding scale up to the full amount. She added that if there was a problem of finance, depending on how well their daughter performed in a series of tests meant that a partial scholarship might be available but as the school was really intended for German children the test would be stiff.

She need not have worried; having put an email address along with the address of the castle she received eager acceptance as soon as the letter reached Japan. The Tsudas could not tell their neighbours that their daughter was going to a school for shugenja, but they could boast that she was going to a private school in Europe with its great educational tradition.

And having discharged her duty, Jade indulged herself with a game of building bricks with Mildryth and acknowledged that she WAS getting broody and that it might be time to think about another baby soon. Once Lily had settled in and Ulvik too.

oOoOo

Jade intended attending the Symposium of professors her father had put together; it would be helpful to her and the other young teachers she had assembled to meet counterparts in other schools, including small English dame schools. Severus had talked Lucius into holding it at Malfoy Manor so there was no problem about taking the children and letting them get on with it with Lucius' numerous offspring. Apparently Finn had produced her daughter before the world cup but Tanjela was still waiting; and when she had birthed there would be the weddings. Jade would fly in for a few days and then get back to Germany so Ulvik and Lily did not feel neglected; and there were a million and one things to do anyhow!

It was nice to see Lydia and all the old crowd from Prince Peak – Ron firmly collecting children to play quidditch rather than be involved in anything too serious – and introduce her teachers around to the few who did not know them; which was to say, those not of the blood group. Except Helmut Hastläufer who did not know anyone. The young squib had learned enough to brew potions – more or less – and could get a result from a chant; which was all he really needed. Frankly, Volodya would be wasted on the new school's pupils and Jade was glad she had persuaded him to return to teach at Durmstrang, at least for the time being. Some of her protégés would do well from his efforts. Others of her teaching team who were not blooded – at least not to her – were Mischa and Vasilica, Ihor Rebet and Ulrich Grindler, one of the ex werewolves of Prince Peak. It should be a great few days; or week for those who were staying on.

Severus welcomed everyone.

"We've got a few talks planned" he said "But the general idea of this symposium is to get to know each other, swap ideas, and see how far our various pet subjects overlap. I have certainly found that the more you learn, the more there is to learn; and the more things tie together. I cite chanting that can only be truly powerful with understanding of ancient runes, Arithmancy and higher levels of theory of charms and transfiguration and a passing acquaintance with comparative magic doesn't come amiss."

There were murmurs of assent from those who were already converted and noises of disbelief from those who were not.

"But Severus, we 'ave no chanters in Beauxbatons, and we are pestered by ze French Quidditch Association to train some as 'ealers; what am I to do?" said Madam Maxime.

"Olympe, I have a French child in my school in the second year whose father is a healer; he's over at the back there somewhere because I invited him to attend" said Severus "And she has come specifically to learn chanting. And her father puts in what free time he has to learn also; and you will doubtless soon have a competent teacher of chanting. You can't have Hercule back though; he's too good an ancient runes teacher and a stalwart of the trains club" he added.

"I have a Dutch lad and an Italian girl just entering the sixth who have learned chanting under Jade Snape, Olympe" said Agata Bacsó "They will be likely to want a job in a couple of years; either one will fit in with your pupils I think. They are pleasant young people."

"Desolina would do well to have her confidence boosted though" said Jade laconically "She HAS got a poor self image; and she's so beautiful all the boys will get tonsillitis for leaving their tongues hanging out. Sigismundus is inclined to the abrasive and he doesn't suffer fools. Period. I like him; but I'm not a fool" she added, not mentioning that in her opinion too many of the French teachers were.

"Besides, he's one I have my eye on to start a Scandinavian School when you've trained replacements for us" said Bertel Elstrup.

"Poacher" said Jade without rancour. "Desolina then, Olympe? Perhaps you will write to her and ask if she is willing; to be wanted as a teacher before she even leaves school will be a real boost!"

"I agree" said Agata; and Olympe nodded.

"I shall do so" she said.

The first talk was Orlando Carcano on the subject of using Wizarding Wireless Vision as a supplement to lessons as well as to substitute for a lack of professors; and Mei Chang gave a supplemental talk as she was teaching in a school with limited resources and only a few professors; all this with technical help from Lucius in demonstration of the equipment. Orlando had enthusiastic support too from Hagrid – who Jade had hugged and kissed – in using the ability to show techniques over.

Jade took the opportunity later to grab Freya Tuthill,who was to teach comparative magic at Prince Peak with the loss of Ellie (who went with David to Hogwarts), and told her that in a year she would provide her with a Japanese boy who could tell her more about eastern customs. Freya was delighted!

Jade could not then resist strolling over to a huddle of Arithmancers – having been following their conversation as well as that in the group of Ancient Runes people and the chat she had been having with Attila Nagy about transfigurations – and asked an innocent sounding question on the nature of the various universes one passed through when apparating and the one to which rubbish was vanished. It was a pet topic for debate at Prince Peak but horrified almost all the other arithmancers present and Hermione threw a cushion at her, which Jade took as a victory.

It took Fenella Fenwick, teaching both Arithmancy and Mathematics at Rowan house to come up with an answer, added to by Hermione and with quick rounding off by Septima Vector.

Jade grinned. Keeping people thinking stopped them from getting staid and stale. And it was also fun to see the looks of horror on their faces; which was probably, if she were honest, the main reason for doing it. Once a marauder always a marauder; except perhaps Hermione who had only ever been a half hearted marauder at times.

It was a good way to round off her brief stay; and she kissed Tanjela and wished her a quick labour and an efficient husband and promised to be back for the weddings; and left with her little family.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Mr Malfoy doesn't treat his goblin kids any different to his human kids" said Ulvik conversationally when they returned to Germany.

"No good father treats any of his children differently" said Jade "Wulf is careful not to let Irmi, big girl as she is, feel pushed out by Ralph. Though in truth, she's more like a sister to me than a stepdaughter; there's not many years between us. Less than between her and you as it happens. Her mother died birthing her; so fortunately she had no preconceived ideas. Which was just as well because I was only sixteen when I met and fell for Wulf and being a mother figure to a teenage girl would have been beyond me. Are you worrying in case you might be treated differently if we adopt you?"

He blushed and bobbed his head in a quick nod.

"Lucius is one of the more ideal fathers to be held up to example" said Jade; "so is mine, but outsiders don't see him as anything but stern, even harsh. It's a mask he wears because he's shy. But as Wulf asked if you would be his son, he will think of you as his son; and I have no doubt he has also discussed it with Irmi to see if she minded. I'm afraid I didn't discuss Lily with anyone; she just needed with a baby's needs that can't reason."

"Fraulein Irmi loves her too; she picks her up as well as her little brother" said Ulvik.

"Irmi is one of life's special people" said Jade fondly. "And you do not need to call her Fraulein even if you do not want to be adopted."

"Oh Frau Baronin I do but I do not want to be disloyal to my parents!" cried Ulvik.

"Well, Ulvik, suppose your ma had died but Rikara had not; and you were finding it hard to care for her; and someone wanted to adopt her. Would you feel she was disloyal in loving someone else as well as you?"

"No of course not! Though I'd only give her up if I had no choice!"

"What if YOU were the one dying?"

"That would be different; she'd need a family" said Ulvik.

"Well, is it disloyal to consider YOUR need for a family?" asked Jade "Nobody is asking you to give up your memories; or even change your name. Love has an odd Arithmancy; the more you divide it the more it multiplies."

"Would – would I call you Ma and Da?" he asked.

"If you wished; or you might use our first names if you preferred. We would be properly addressed as Professors in school of course" she added.

"I still don't know" he said.

"That's not a problem" said Jade. Poor little boy he wanted to belong and was afraid it was too good to be true; afraid he might love them too much and forget his parents. No fear of that. "My little mummy – my real one – died when I was about four" said Jade "My real father was a git and he killed her. But I never forgot my mummy; it took me a while to want to call mum and dad 'mum' and 'dad'; but my little sister was younger than me and did not remember so well and it made her happy to do so, so for her I started. I've never forgotten my mummy; but mum and dad are my parents too. And I've done memory exploring rituals too, to bring up good memories as well as the nightmare one of mummy being dead; that intrudes always before the eyes over any memories of her alive. Oh yes, I know that" she said as his breath hissed in. "So I also understand what it is to need to take time. It really is up to you and it takes as long as it takes to decide."

"Oh please, may I hug you?" asked Ulvik.

Jade drew him to her.

"Even if you're just our ward, hugs are sort of essential" she said. He hugged her fiercely.

They would have another son by Yule, of that Jade was certain.

oOoOo

Then they were back – briefly – to England for the weddings because they were both family and Marauding weddings. Chief to Jade was her sister Lydia, marrying her beloved Viktor Krumm; and Viktor's half brother also marrying Helga, one of the real Von Strangs and Severus' ward. And two other Marauding weddings would take place to boot; Mei Chang marrying Mad Lockhart – with Chrysogon Rufus as a page just to keep him briefly out of trouble – and Polly Kirrin, first free elf in Hogwarts marrying the rejuvenated Kreacher, taking the name Black. The old cats would have a field day with Lucius launching the marriage of two elves! There were another two pairs; one, protégés of Jade's father, both potioneers, and doubtless THEY would make for comment too, being from the poorer end of Diagon Alley; the others Theo Weasley to Peronel Pettigrew, which was sort of a marauding wedding but would still have people wondering why THEY should be launched as a wedding of the year. As if Lucius cared what people said. No, that was a falsehood; Lucius ENJOYED causing comment and being rude to people if they questioned his choice of young couples to launch.

Jade was matron of honour for her sister, with Zvetelina Krumm, Mimi and Lilith as bridesmaids. The bride was so radiant it would not have mattered [as Jade joked to Wulf] if the day had been as miserable as the wedding day of the brides of the year. last year

And she had spoken to Helga and Stoyan to ask them to come to Germany to take charge of an orphanage; Stoyan was willing enough and Helga had always meant to work with children. THAT was sorted then. And she might make over the lodge to Helga as her own property too so it was truly home.

oOoOo

"It's kind of hard to pick people to maraud with" said Ulvik "I talked to some English marauders and you have to pick well."

"It can be hard" said Jade, looking up from the letter she had just received by owl. "You KNOW if someone feels right though; I thought you felt right."

Ulvik looked pleased.

"I think Gunnar Heuvormund from the village might have been right but he's rather old" he said. Gunnar was fifteen. "And Leofa gan Gyrth seems nice but I'm not sure and I don't want to make a mistake."

"It's better to be cautious than otherwise" said Jade. "None of the people you know from the Kobboldstrasse?"

"Well the only one who's not years older than me is Vinz and he's definitely not" said Ulvik. "Maybe Abert; Viva's a bit scatty and Elva sort of keeps herself to herself; which is hardly surprising as people say bad things about half breeds and her mother trying to be respectable. It's very hard" he sighed.

Jade hid a smile.

"There's a boy called Lurtz who is from a goblin mining village I think you may get on with; and a boy called Klemens from Berlin; my friend Jaromir speaks highly of some of his protégés, a pair of boy and girl twins; and a half breed girl from Neubrandenburg has more balls than most if you pardon my putting it that way."

He grinned and flushed.

"It's sort of descriptive if not very accurate" he said.

Jade grinned; and returned to her letter. It was from a wizard in Berlin who lived on a muggle street; and his daughter had heard about the new school through the tailors in Schattenstrasse. He explained that as a second generation wizard the best wizarding job he could get was as a cleaner in the ministry building in Berlin; but he and his wife had tried to teach his daughter and her friend all they could of basic spells and potions and what he had picked up about transport magic in the department of transport where he worked.

Jade made a trip to Berlin after work and went calling.

"Herr Müller; talk to me about how much you have learned about Geomancy" she said "Which is the proper name of the study of place magic and transport magic."

"Not as much as I would like, Gracious Lady" he said "Are – are you the Frau Baronin? Please come in; the place is humble I am afraid. I - I have not spoken to my daughter in case you turn her down."

"I am interested in someone who has picked up a skill so esoteric whilst working as a cleaner; it argues intelligence. Explain to me what you know."

"Well Frau Baronin, I know that ley lines can speed up travel up to seven times; and I have been told to help in the manufacture of floo powder so I have remembered that; and I know the principle ley lines of Germany; and I have some understanding of how a place is made unplottable; I attended a muggle school and the mathematics is sufficient to help me follow what they talk about. I do not know how to enchant a portkey but the Arithmancy of how to work out its timing is fairly simple; and I can do spherical trigonometry because I learned that in muggle schools and it was not hard to convert; and I have taught myself to apparate though I do not have a licence."

"Do you own or rent?" asked Jade.

"I rent – it's a furnished apartment" he said.

"Will you object to relocating? Only with picking up so much on your own, I should very much like you to go to Prince Peak school for a year to formalise your knowledge and then come to me next September as a geomancy professor" she said crisply. He goggled.

"Frau Baronin – do you mean that? You – you really think it worth – but I cannot afford the fees to learn more!"

"I will pick up the tab on that to get a teacher of a rare skill" said Jade firmly "The top Geomancers are in England; and it is only a relatively recently taught subject there; the new teacher at Durmstrang is self taught with top up from the best of the best in England. Most ministries of transport have some knowledge, passed on piecemeal to their employees; they do NOT cover the whole subject. You understand maps and geomantic symbols?"

"Oh yes" he said "That was something I picked up very quickly."

"Which is more than the most recent Durmstrang Triwizard champion could for there being a deficiency in the subject" Jade told him. "She will be teaching Herbology at my school incidentally. The subject also covers the tuning of Wizarding Wireless and Wizarding Wireless Vision; wizarding space; and travel by assimilative correlation by nomenclature and association or as my friend David Fraser puts it, now Headmaster of Hogwarts, and one of the top geomancers, more assimilative correlation by jiggery pokery. He's muggleborn so he hates some of the associations that seem obvious to wizards but not necessarily to one reared a muggle."

"And in England muggleborn can rise so high? I am impressed!" Müller gasped. "Yes, I can see a difference of logic; as I have been raised beside muggles I find some of the leaps of those of respectable blood hard at times. Is – is there a chance you can take my daughter and – and perhaps her friend?"

"My dear fellow, to gain your services I'd take her if she had the brain and ability of a crup" said Jade "I hope she has some talent; you write that she's twelve already. I should like to start her back a year; she can work hard for a remove if she wishes. What of this friend?"

"She is the child of our next door neighbour; she is muggleborn" said Herr Müller. "She and Valerie have always played together and shared all secrets; her parents are very good about it. But they are no richer than we."

"Well the school IS for muggleborn; and I like to keep friends together" said Jade "I should like to test them both to see how to approach their education."

Both girls were awed and eager; and Jade set them to perform wand work and to brew in Frau Müller's cauldron. Neither girl seemed a lot of good at transfigurational skills; but had no trouble with basic charms or potion making though neither was exactly a talent. Valerie was poor at mathematics at her muggle school; but her muggleborn friend Renate was good at it.

"The both of you could pull up a year to your chronological age if you put your backs into it" said Jade "I'm accelerating those over eleven with just seven subjects; you two can also study geomancy on your own time and then with the new teacher next year when we have him" and she smiled at Valerie's father.

"I can hardly believe it" whispered Herr Müller "Just for listening to people?"

"No; for listening, understanding, and remembering" said Jade. "How soon can you leave?"

"As – as soon as we need" said Frau Müller "Perhaps a couple of days to pack? And the rent is due at the weekend."

"Fine; I'll send a couple of elves to help you with a flitting" said Jade "Over to Prince Peak; you can pick up a lot before the ravening hoard return on the first of September. Valerie, you and Renate will be separated for a few weeks until you are at school."

"Oh Frau Professor, for daddy to have a real job that is not boring and menial I would move anywhere; and it is not for long and we shall then be together!" said Valerie.

Jade decided not to say that she planned to chat to Renate's parents another time with the view to providing herself with a muggle as a muggle studies teacher; the girl seemed bright, lively and interested in everything but it did not always follow that her parents would be. Muggles tended to be in housing of a quality that varied with their intellectual capacity; though not always.

"Your father; what is his work, Renate?" she asked kindly. The girl flushed.

"He does not have a job, Frau Professor; he joined a strike when I was a baby and has been blacklisted. My mother cleans various offices. He WAS an electronics engineer; a tester."

"My commiserations; it may be that I can do something to help as I have many muggle contacts" said Jade "I will not make any promises but I shall come and chat to him some time."

"Oh! How KIND you are!" cried Renate, brightening. "How fortunate it is that I am a witch that I should have the opportunity to meet you!"

"Steady child; I have said, I cannot promise" said Jade. This was one who always saw the glass half full; and from the restrained joy of Valerie she always saw it half empty. Chalk and cheese; and such friendships often worked for all that!

She went forthwith back to the castle and wrote a note to her father to expect the Müllers; and sent an owl with it.

"That makes it thirteen in the upper first" said Jade to Wulf.

"It's still a good prime number; and not one you've ever considered bad luck" said Wulf equably "You're not getting heebie-jeebies are you?"

"No; I'm just afraid some people might."

Wulf pulled her onto his knee.

"Then tell them to work extra hard to get their remove so that they break the number and also are away from it" he said.

"You ARE clever my love" said Jade, putting up her face for a kiss.

No more work got done for a very long while.

oOoOo

At length Jade sighed and got back to it; she had written a brief report for the council over the matter of the orphanage and was now breaking it down into a longer, detailed report to be sent to every council member with specific abuses and what she felt should be done to remedy it. At least she could now have all the children in healthy fresh air at the hunting lodge, fed properly instead of merely on what was cheap, encourage them to grow their own vegetables and keep their own chickens for eggs and goats for milk – Jade had learned to love goats' milk in Austria and considered it healthier than cows' milk – and take responsibility for their future in a more gentle fashion. A large proportion of Germans were weekend farmers whatever their jobs; teaching them to farm would not do them any harm, and they should too get in sewing machines to teach those with aptitude to sew, and a metal crafter perhaps who would also teach at the school and…. And so many things!

The orphans might as well all have lessons to bring them to the standard of the ZAP but only the best could really be fit into the school. Well, the parents of various blood-tainted pupils – as the blood-pure called them – might have enough knowledge each to teach a subject to that level. Which helped them out without distracting her highly trained Durmstrang graduates. It was a fact of life that poverty could depress intellect; and most of the current stock of orphans at least had been so cowed that raising them to any educational standard would be hard. And first Jade wanted them to learn how to play!

oOoOo

There was a meeting of the council very quickly; and Jade pointed out dryly, as she had written, that treating children like criminals was scarcely likely to do anything except turn them into criminals, forestalling any argument that such lower class children were bound to be nothing but criminals if not well disciplined. She also pointed out that those who were injured by the careless choice of inappropriate occupations set them would also have few choices of honest work to go to once they were adult; and showed the paper trail her new Anwalt, Albricht Kesselring, had discovered proving that the slave labour – and she did not mince her words – of the human and goblin children enriched a company owned by a brother in law of the erstwhile director.

As one of the Council members was Ritter and Albricht Kesselring's grandfather, an upright man of unquestioned honour and integrity he was pleased that his grandson was ready to chase up such without fear or favour.

"What should be done about it?" he demanded.

"I did it Graf Von Kesselring" said Jade dryly "Because I knew fine well that red tape would strangle those poor babes if something wasn't done immediately. I have moved goblins and humans alike to a country location belonging to my family where they will learn REASONABLE skills; and hopefully attain education to the level of the ZAP even if not all pass it. Those with more ability will come into my school, either for one or two ZPs, as out students; or if truly talented as full time students. I have reliable relatives in charge. I already sacked the director and advise investigating his brother, a Vehmgericht, to see if he is bringing down the reputation of our legal system with corruption. And the erstwhile director might bear further investigation WITH his brother in law for crimes against beings and fraud. He's been defrauding the state by making state owned orphans work for HIS enrichment. I know I've been heavy handed, but my concern is for the wellbeing of those children; and in a private orphanage – subject of course to governmental inspection – I KNOW they are safe. They will learn useful life skills not toil mindlessly with no real skill learned save assembling clockwork with no real understanding of what they do. They will grow much of their own vegetables and rear some stock so they have a stake in what they raise; and will learn formal lessons and too a useful and employable skill such as metalwork or sewing."

"All very well, but where's the funding coming from?" grumbled another.

"Herr Graff, you need have no fears; it's coming out of MY pocket" said Jade sweetly. "I'm not asking for a subsidy from the Council; though I can't shoehorn in all the orphans from other than Northern Region so perchance you will look into using my facility as a model orphanage to base those of the other regions on; which as I'm saving you a hefty whack for being prepared to take all the orphans from the North ought to give you a lot of budget to play with" and she smiled sweetly.

"She has you there, you parsimonious old fool" said Von Frettchen. "I'll contribute to your orphanage Nefrita; Von Kesselring?"

"I too will add to the funding" grunted Von Kesselring. "Ritter and Albricht both consider you something rather special, Frau Baronin; I trust their judgement. And I will too accept such youths as you wish to place in employment in my household or my stables."

"I've been chary about training maids" said Jade "And I'm not going into details because I got a serial adulterer and rapist to cough up maintenance in exchange for not suing him on behalf of his half bred daughter; but there IS an attitude that maids are there to be bed warmers."

"So inspect the lives of any who want maids and use it to get material we can use to lean on them over" said Von Frettchen. "Simple!"

"You ARE like Lucius" said Jade "Thoroughly unscrupulous. They won't take it."

"They will if you make it fashionable to have maids trained by your establishment" said Von Frettchen.

"Excuse me, did someone change your name when I wasn't looking from Eduard to Devious?" grinned Jade.

The Council had been largely made up of forward looking nobles; or at least those of unquestioned integrity who would respond to fast talk involving honour and the obligations of nobility. Even the most parsimonious and hidebound would roll over to the tune of being told what their blood demanded.

The other orphanages would be investigated; and Jade suggested Karl and Uschi Heinz as official inspectors for both low grade and wealthy orphans. One might as well use the kind of nepotism that was acceptable after all.

oOoOo

When Jade got back she found she had a visitor; Franziska Schiff. Franziska had been spending time with the two half sisters currently in Jade's care, Eva, who was rescued with her mother from a brothel, who had also made tentative friends with Ulvik; and Mildryth, Thrytha's baby.

"Hello Nefrita – I mean Jade" said Franziska.

"Apologies not to be here" said Jade "Busy – not that such is any different to usual!"

"I forgot you are an important person on the council" said Franziska. "I – I wanted to ask a favour."

"Ask; I can but refuse if it's outrageous" said Jade.

Franziska flushed.

"It is mildly outrageous" she said. "You recall you offered a place of haven for my Gennic if he had to leave in a hurry, if my parents found out about us?"

"Or if you tired of him and he found it embarrassing" said Jade dryly. Franziska flushed deeper.

"I – I love Gennic" she said "I only realised when I found out I was pregnant and I did not want to ask you for an abortifacient; because I want to have his child. His children" she added.

"Crumbs!" said Jade. "Hell of a time to realise. Is he happy?"

"Oh yes" said Franziska "Keeps telling me though that I should not throw away my comfortable life. I thought you might employ me to teach" she added "And him in your stables? I want to get married to him; we're keeping the name Schiff, he'll take my name, to embarrass daddy."

"You DO manage to do it in spades when you see the truth" said Jade "I have a full complement of teachers save in specialist studies you don't have; but if you'll teach my orphans that I've just stolen from the state" she quickly filled Franziska in on what she had found "Then I'd be grateful, to give some respite to Helga and Stoyan. And Gennic can teach them basic horse care which would be a good start too" she added "And both of you examples of good family life; and you and Gennic an example of respectable mixed marriage to break the mould of 'all half breeds are the children of whores' which is what we have now. I've adopted one little half breed girl and I may adopt a goblin boy; he has yet to decide if he wants to be adopted" she added.

"Wouldn't he be a fool not to?" said Franziska "You who are wealthy and well connected as a parent?"

"Oh but he has too much integrity to take it without soul searching" said Jade softly "He fears forgetting his real parents if he lets himself love Wulf and me; I think I've persuaded him that it isn't going to happen, but little boys are so fragile in their ego. I'll not force him."

"I hadn't thought of that; you are so wise, Jade" sighed Franziska "I – I was planning on consolidating all my own wealth, and maybe asking for the odd gift from my parents too to add to it; I don't want to be penniless. I'd choose Gennic over a comfortable life but I'd like both. So I plan to stay at home doing that while I don't show."

"Wise" said Jade. "I don't actually see why you shouldn't grab as much of your inheritance as you can; I've lived very poor and I didn't much like it. Virtue and wealth are NOT mutually exclusive; and if you have a comfortable financial cushion, there's less likely to be arguments over money matters to drive a wedge between you and your Gennic and make you start resenting the fact that you gave up everything for him. You have a sister, don't you? A legitimate one I mean?"

"Yes; Stefanie has been brilliant" said Franziska "I told her all about our sisters and she was shocked; more shocked than me choosing a goblin who chose me too. Though she WAS a bit taken aback" she grinned "No, actually she was really concerned I had taken leave of my senses and was just looking for sexual adventure; Stef is more like mother, not especially interested in sex. Anyway, she says if it IS true love she supports me but I didn't want to foist myself on her because then she might lose a relationship with mother; which doesn't trouble me but would upset Stef. And her husband Helmut is a lot less of a stuffed robe than I thought; he managed to find a curse to make daddy impotent, which should stop him procreating, and he's actually going to steal daddy's signet ring when he's asleep – they're coming to stay – and curse it so daddy doesn't know what causes it and a curse breaker can concentrate on breaking a curse on DADDY til he's blue in the face but if he doesn't specifically focus on the ring it should do nothing!"

"Unless he's a good enough curse breaker to sense the source of the curse" said Jade "But competent curse breakers seem to be few and far between; most do it with arithmantic formula and no verve and élan. You HAVE to have a degree of panache to be a true curse breaker; same as to put curses on. I LIKE your brother in law by the way; he sounds as though he can think outside the box."

"He is cleverer than I realised" said Franziska "And he too was indignant that we should have been shamed by daddy being such a – a WHORE. Can I call him that?"

"You just did" grinned Jade "I say, what's sauce for the goose is sauce also for the gander; if he'd kept a mistress that's one thing; one has to be realistic where arranged marriages are concerned. But using his position for physical gratification is low. How did this Helmut take your love life?"

"He was horrified; but he questioned me on what I had learned of English goblins and on how I felt about Gennic; and he talked long also to Gennic and he told me that in his opinion I had picked a man with ten times the manhood of my father and that if I proved flighty and hurt so fine a man he would take it upon himself as my brother to whip me."

"I DO like your brother in law" said Jade. "Have they brats?"

"Yes; three" said Franziska "Hortensia's about the same age as your Ralph – and this new baby I hear you've adopted – and the twins a year younger; and she's fairly sure she's expecting again; it's also a good excuse to go and stay."

"Well then, the kids can play with ours and with my numerous brothers and sisters" said Jade "As well as such babies you two have; and I haven't yet decided if we're sending Ralph to Prince Peak or Durmstrang or Hogwarts. Depends, I guess, how many friends he makes who are definitely going to one or the other. I think I'll let him choose when he's old enough; Lily CAN'T go to Durmstrang so I imagine he won't choose a school that won't take his sister."

"Well as my sisters are going to Prince Peak – and I managed to blackmail the school fees out of daddy – I should think Gennic and I will send ours there if I can earn enough working for you" said Franziska.

"Oh, to keep them with aunts and cousins, daddy will subsidise them if need be" said Jade "He makes people pay through the nose for form's sake and at that it's less than Durmstrang by a long whack. More than Hogwarts, mind" she added. "There is some snob value in Prince Peak AND an entrance examination. Save for those with special needs" she amended "Like the kid who manifested magic at the usual age – about seven – and was bullied so badly by muggle kids – he set a bush on fire trying to escape and they pushed him into it – that he could not perform magic at all."

"How AWFUL!" cried Franziska "Was your father able to help him?"

"Oh yes; told him not to worry about it and that it would happen in his own good time and made sure he was introduced to the more mischievous elements in the class; soon found magic to pull japes" said Jade. "Pressure to perform is about the worst thing you can do to a child; dad takes the truly talented but his strategy is to keep their talent low key and not something to make a fuss about; to be praised for, yes, but without any excess pushing. Save for the rare child who thrives with pressure; but when teaching you have to assess that and act accordingly."

"Oh dear" said Franziska "I have much to learn about teaching; and even little pre-school kids are people who need the same delicate touch, aren't they?"

"Well if you've figured that out by yourself you shouldn't go far wrong" said Jade "Too many people talk about 'the child' as if all children are alike, some creature described in detail in Wolfram Ungeheuer in his book about magical animals."

Die Tireren Zauberein was the seminal work at Durmstrang as Newt Scamander's work was for English children. Franziska laughed ruefully.

"I suspect that en masse they feel pretty much like a troupe of wild beasts" she said.

"Well, yes, actually" said Jade honestly. "The huge classes at Durmstrang were daunting I admit! The secret is to start quite strict because it's easier to lighten than to tighten; and if the kids KNOW where they are they'll be happy. It's not strictness they resent but unfairness; if there are murmurs when you punish someone, look further. If you have the self confidence ask them WHY they feel you are being unfair; you can always say that you disagree and go ahead with punishment as planned, tell them that you know more about the facts of the situation than they do. And frankly, with the shit treatment the orphans have had, anyone who actually takes an interest in them will seem like an angel to them!"

"It's hard to believe that anyone would treat kids so…. Mind you if there was a galleon in it I reckon Heinrich Nachtigall would have had whips and chains out too."

"HIM" said Jade in contempt. "Oh you've come a long way, my friend, to look on goblin children as children; and I applaud you for it."

"I can't help thinking that my baby is going to look like Mildryth or your Lily; so SWEET!" said Franziska.

"NO babies are sweet at first" said Jade "They either look like pickled plums or like Herr Grassmann, the Minister of Finance. When they stop leaking more or less continuously and start looking at you with interest rather than as something to eat, THEN they start getting sweet. The age I had to leave Ralph" she added wistfully "About six weeks old."

"I for one am grateful you left him to come and help us" said Franziska "Though at first I was too much a fool to realise it."

"But YOU wised up and grew up" said Jade. "Trouble is, too many people never actually grow up – especially the privileged ones – because they expect to get what they want when they want it and the hell with anyone else; and if they don't they throw a toddlerish temper tantrum because nobody taught them when they were toddlers that 'I want doesn't get' because they were spoilt brats. I suspect that though you are not close to your mother she stopped you getting your own way always; and prevented you from developing into a total spoiled brat."

"Mostly it was my goblin nanny actually" said Franziska "Though mummy never did spoil me the way daddy did. But I get the feeling she disapproves of me."

"If she thinks you as promiscuous as your father I'm not wholly surprised" said Jade. "You could TRY telling her there's someone for whom you feel a partiality and that you want to just get to know him better before you say more; if you spring it on her when you have all in place to leave, either you can carry on leaving if she's outraged or you can let her help you tell your father how it's going to be."

"I think it'll be carry on leaving" said Franziska "Mummy is very stiff necked."

"Well she may yet surprise you" said Jade "Your sister and her husband did. If not; well she may in the future come round for the sake of the grandchildren. Or maybe not. All you can do is give people the opportunity to be decent; if they don't take it, you can do no more. Running away without talking to her is going to mark you as having a guilty conscience and say that you are ashamed of Gennic."

"Which I'm not; only afraid for him" said Franziska.

"And reasonably so" said Jade "Lily's mother was human; and I can't help wondering if she ran away with a goblin lover and was dragged home with her man killed and her baby dumped. No I shall NOT let anyone do that to you; I've fought Voldemort and Odessa and anything your father can muster would be just an aperitif. No fear of THAT" she added.

"I am glad I came to you, Jade" said Franziska "You have all the answers."

"I would that such were true" said Jade.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Jade sat up in the middle of the night and shouted

"EUREKA!"

"I'll find some wart potion for it in the morning" said Wulf.

"That's Verruca, not Eureka" said Jade equably.

"Yes; but just as irritating at half past too late at night" said Wulf "Tell me about it, dear."

"Leo's at a loose end until Drusillina leaves school; he can teach metalworking to our orphans until I find a proper goblin teacher; he's one of only two people in the world with a NEWT in it and the other one is Lydia and she's teaching it as a voluntary subject in Prince Peak" said Jade.

"Splendid; we can tell him about it in the morning" said Wulf.

"Well now we're awake…." Suggested Jade.

They stayed awake for some time and enjoyed each other in the velvet darkness.

And two small children scrambling into bed with them first thing was no worse a distraction than one.

oOoOo

Leo, who had been toying with being an Auror for having the required five NEWTs of equal to or better than 'E' including one in DADA – which was in fact one of the four of his six NEWTs that he had at 'O' – leaped at the chance of teaching small children how to play as well as how to do metalwork.

He was also more than pleased to help out Helmut Hastläufer with his chanting; Leo's theory was better than his practice in this so he had what Helmut needed, and the young squib was glad to have an English friend who did not look on him at all askance for being a squib who was unable to raise a spark from a wand however hard he tried for the wonderful Frau Baronin. It was, too, another person to help Helga and Stoyan with the orphans until Franziska and her Gennic arrived; even if the girl's mother took her daughter's unconventional love with acceptance there was no way they could continue to live at home where Gennic would be daily at risk from Herr Schiff's double standard wrath.

Jade had employed a couple of the older peasants in her village to teach farming and oversee the children; she picked an ageing couple who were childless, through the children they had had having died of disease or the anger of the previous baron; their one daughter having died in childbirth from Von Strang's attentions, and the baby following its mother to the grave within the week. The husband would teach farming, the wife dairy skills and cleaning; and they would not have to work as hard as if they had to subsist for themselves. And Jade proceeded to winnow through all the orphans to see if any had any serious talent, by the expedient of taking musical instruments and playing a bit on them then leaving them to see which children had a go and if any had a feel; and by encouraging the children to draw. And the older ones she gave wands to play with to try out if they could produce any effect with them as well as examining Malfoy Lines.

The small squib, Jade sent to England to be housed the Hogwarts orphanage with intent that she enter Rowan House and have the benefits of its education for those with limited magical ability; the little girl was only six and would soon adapt to being English. Vladimir Malfoy was making a genetic study of squibs to see what it was that caused the problem; with a view to one day finding a magical cure, perhaps using chanting with the power of twenty-three factorial. He was always pleased to have more squibs whose development he might watch; the child would find something of a sponsor in him as a special grown up, now Vladimir's own children were largely grown up, his youngest son being about to enter the fifth at Hogwarts.

Of the rest there were two who were of high talent. The first was a little girl of seven who drew with exceptional ability; she was a half breed. The other was a mere babe of two whose Malfoy lines demonstrated both a full complement of magical markers that were, too of exceptional length. In addition five other children showed magical talent enough to mark them as high flyers and two had a feel for music; a goblin lad of about three and a human boy of nine.

There were some seventeen who might be worth giving an education to for their likelihood of achieving five or more ZP's; of whom some were rather old to start. Regretfully, after a second round of testing, Jade decided to leave those of fifteen and over learning skills that would give them jobs; and offered the goblin boy and two human girls jobs cleaning in the castle where, if they cared to study as well, they might sit the ZAP after as many years as it took to study to that level. The goblin boy, a lad of sixteen, turned down the offer; he preferred to make his own way in the world. Both girls accepted it; one of them asking if they would be permitted to refuse the use of their bodies to the students. On receiving confirmation that Jade would applaud any who militated against such advances she was quite happy.

Of the rest, the fourteen year old human girl had performed well in tests and showed a determination to succeed; she would have a year's trial to see how well she could work. The thirteen year old human child and twelve year old goblin boy were not a problem; and the eleven year old goblin boy would just join the first.

It was those of high talent Jade worried about; and she contacted Lucius over the artistic half breed child.

Lucius came out to Germany with Charlotte to meet little Veronika, as the child was called; who blurted out that her mother had been a whore and please, she was only a half breed.

Lucius had picked her up for a cuddle, big girl of seven that she was; and Jade grinned smugly.

By talking very fast she also persuaded him to take the child who looked to be pure blood with high talent; a two year old little girl would soon forget she was not a Malfoy.

"Besides, since your sister invented a ritual to make them truly mine, I shall" said Lucius. "Why not? What's the little one called?"

"Number seventeen" said Jade. "No sibling, abandoned at birth, lived in her own ordure for the last couple of years; needs love."

"All mine are cheerful rogues past needing as much care; I'll take her on" said Charlotte "As well as my little artist. Lucius can make them both mine a well as his."

"Good thinking, Batman!" said Jade with a grin. Charlotte grinned back and Lucius looked pained.

"It's disgusting, not even giving them names" he said. Jade shrugged.

"With their primary care in the hands of mostly moronic teenage girls? When they left the nursery at about five to go work on the production line, if they survived that old, then they got given a name. You name her; she's your brat now."

"Melusina" said Lucius "A good snaky Slytherin name; admittedly French but a good enough name for all that."

"Oh she was the fairy who turned into a snake from the waist down over night and her husband found out and slung her out or something giving rise to a French proverb about wailing like Melusine?" said Jade "Typically French, depressive and wet."

"You are SUCH a parochial girl" said Lucius.

"I'm English; we ARE the master race!" laughed Jade.

oOoOo

Jade and Wulf with Irmi discussed the two musical ones; and called Ulvik to talk to them.

"Ulvik, though you haven't decided yet if you want to be our son or not, it's only right that you should have the power of veto – be able to say no – over whether we take on a couple of other kids" said Jade. "There are two here who are musical; and being musical myself I can't bear not to see their talent developed. If, however, you dislike the idea, I'll see if I can't find someone else to adopt them."

Ulvik stared.

"You would consult me? But Frau Baronin, how could I be so mean as to say no? You have been so good to me – you are TRULY good that you care what happens to others!"

"I still have to pick and choose" said Jade "We chose to take you because you have that spark of something special; and these ones are musical. I wish I could find someone to love them all; at least we can see they have a better life."

"I think you SHOULD love the ones who are musical!" said Ulvik fiercely "I wish I was musical to do something to make you proud of me!"

"We ARE proud of you" said Wulf "You are a good hard working boy and you have played with the little ones – not just the little ones who are staying her, Eva and Mildryth, Ralph and Lily, but the orphans too."

"I WILL be your son, father, mother, but I can't call you Ma and Da!" cried Ulvik.

"Then call us Mum and Dad in the English fashion" said Jade "And we shall be your spare set of parents."

Ulvik hugged them both; and then Irmi.

"Who are they?" he asked.

"The oldest is a boy of nine; he's human, named Rainer" said Jade "The very ordered little boy with the occasional ornery streak."

"They tell him to do things he doesn't understand so he makes trouble" said Ulvik.

"Slightly autistic perhaps; it often goes with talent" said Jade "Magically it can be eased to make his life easier. The other is a little boy of about three – three of them all together" she grinned "And he only has a number; I searched for siblings in the records, there are older ones but they seem to have forgotten the baby. Trauma I suppose."

"I'd NEVER forget a baby brother!" shouted Ulvik.

"Well as all have different fathers by the look of it, perhaps he's the only one to inherit any ability" said Jade. "Would you like to name him?"

"MAY I? Is – is he human or goblin?"

"Goblin; does it matter for naming? Give him a name you like."

Ulvik chewed his lip.

"I want to call him Rorik for my father" he said "If it won't cause problems in a human family."

"Not at all" said Jade "There is too a human name, Rurik, and the English version of that is Roderick; and another Rory which is also a shortening of Roderick, either of which are very similar."

Ulvik brightened.

"Then – then can he be Roderick? Then it's a memorial of my father but not quite after him and very English and we can call him Rory. And please, I will too be Ulvik Rorik Luytens and have a middle name like some humans do."

"Oh I think we can manage to outrage people by keeping the 'Von' in there" laughed Jade. "And Roderick is an excellent name; let us go and….. no let's leave 'Life of Brian' quotes out of it" she added. It was NOT appropriate to 'welease Woderwick'.

oOoOo

"Well Rainer, I think you get angry because people seem to be silly and not do things the right way" said Jade.

He stared big eyed.

"But how do you know?" he demanded.

"Because I know there's a little bit of something in your brain that didn't ought to be there that makes it difficult for you to guess what people are thinking from the way their faces look; and to understand why they do things" said Jade "It often goes with artistic or musical people. My favourite composer probably had the same thing; and I think my dad has it a little bit too. It makes awfully good arithmancers. I can make it so you can understand people better if you would like."

"Will that mean I can't have music in my head any more or be a – an – arithmancer?" asked Rainer.

"Oh no, I shan't do anything to stop that" said Jade. "Would you like it?"

Rainer nodded; and Jade used legilimensy and a subtle chant to suppress the effects of the autism; and gave him the knowledge to recognise emotion on faces too that he would otherwise have had to learn as a baby learns.

"You – you are pleased with me?" said Rainer, meeting Jade's smile with a tentative attempt to smile himself.

"I am, my sparrow" said Jade "And I think it would be a fine idea if my husband and I adopt you so I can teach you music and you may have all the music you wish for. You will not be afraid of hard work? For you have much to learn about how to read music written on staves, and how to write it down for yourself."

"So other people can look at it and hear the tunes in my head in their heads and I can read their tunes?" asked Rainer.

"And play the tunes on instruments so those who are so afflicted that they cannot understand how music is made may enjoy hearing it" said Jade "For only a few of us can look at the notes on a sheet and know the music they make; but almost everyone likes to hear music played by those of us who are skilled."

"You mean other people don't hear tunes in their heads? How awful for them!" cried Rainer "I would rather be unable to read faces."

"Me too" said Jade "But it IS nice to do both. There is only one child here I think who will know how you feel about music – though I hope my own natural son will too – and we will adopt this other child too. Our oldest adopted son has named him Roderick; and so you will have three brothers and two sisters but your biggest sister is all grown up because she was my husband's little girl by his first wife before I knew him."

Rainer nodded solemnly.

"Let us get my musical brother" he said.

When Jade picked up Roderick from the playpen that was one of those Wulf had constructed for the small ones there was a moment when Rainer looked in horror.

"He is a GOBLIN!" he cried.

"He is also musical" said Jade "And a rare enough thing in human or goblin to be nurtured. I do not care what race he is. My baby daughter is a half goblin whom I already chose from the orphanage. I do NOT believe in racism; it is silly. You don't want to be silly do you? Was it not the silly grown ups who kept you segregated?"

Rainer shuffled.

"He is my musical brother" he said only slightly sulkily. "People will say things."

"Let them; it only matters what people say if you let it" said Jade "And we have wealth and position enough as a family not to care; so let them fester in their own silliness."

Rainer digested this; and nodded.

And Jade introduced him to her other children and to Eva Schiff, who was, as she told Rainer, a sister of a friend of hers, and left him to make friends with Eva with the adjuration that he should take care of a girl a year younger than him as too he would of his little brothers and sister.

He would be hard work; but it would be worth it, as Jade confided in Ulvik.

"I will help by being a good brother to him" said Ulvik "I had a brother who'd be his age only he died when he was nearly five."

"Alas, child mortality in Germany is at a disgraceful level" said Jade. "Your parents would be proud of you that you care for a younger lad so well as you would have done for your own brother. I WILL send him away to Prince Peak; he'll get the musical training and it isn't good to be in a school with your father as the headmaster; only he'll have a couple of years to settle down and get used to being in a family. You shall make up your mind later, hmm? After a year here, where you can help us by letting us know the mood of the children. Not spying on them; but just keeping us aware of any unhappiness or problems. It's what Marauders do" she added.

Ulvik pulled himself up self importantly. He would do ANYTHING for his new mum and dad!

oOoOo

Jade was not surprised that of those who were more able and intelligent, there were several who were part of families; including one of the fifteen year old girls who had a brother not quite old enough for school and a much younger sister. Biirta, as she was called, had an ugly birthmark on her face and had a sharp and bitter tongue; and would do just about anything for Jade when Jade asked her if she would like the birthmark removed – as any competent witch should be able to, as Jade said dryly.

"If they were competent, why would they be in a dead-end job looking after orphans?" asked Biirta cynically.

Jade chided gently that some people enjoyed caring for children but conceded that the way the orphanage had been, Biirta had a point.

Her companion, Magda, was one of the loveliest girls Jade had ever seen; and no wonder that she had worried about rape. With luck both would learn enough to take some qualification and Jade changed her mind and invited them to be pupils with the offer of a maid job if they failed to get sufficient qualifications to better themselves.

Of the other older ones, Martina Balzer had twin brothers the same age as Biirta's brother; Wanda, a pretty girl, had no siblings; and Bric gan Sarric said he neither knew nor cared about any older siblings he might have anywhere.

Ligern gan Thuric, to be under Ulvik's care to be in lower first, was a cheerfully disorganised boy with enough enthusiasm to make up for his air of what Jade described – with memories of schoolfellows – as Hubbleness; it had been his older brother who had declined the offer of a job and set out to make his own way in the world, cheerfully abandoning Ligern and two smaller brothers of eight and five. Ligern had shrugged and said that he was useless to his brother, displaying hands with only stubby fingers, no more than an inch long; yet with fingernails and plainly no accident.

"I was born like it" said Ligern "When Pa died, and we got picked up it was because I couldn't climb a fence fast or easily hand up the little ones and Murt always blamed me."

"Then he's a git and you're well shut of him" said Jade "I can fix them to be longer if you like; a simple medical transfiguration."

Ligern brightened.

"Oh please, noble witch, can you? I can do most things but it would be nice to do anything!"

Jade proceeded to lengthen his fingers; it was no big deal.

He would be able to get a job to support his siblings when he left school.

She had of course gone through healing all those hurt by the cruel production line techniques; and too those who were the victims of sexual abuse, though the mental scars of that would be harder to heal; but she had asked who had been hurt. Trained into unthinking obedience as the children were, those of natural disability had NOT come forward; and Jade went back through the whole orphanage to heal those abandoned for such disabilities as made it hard for a poor family to cope; like the goblin boy in Prince Peak with Spina Bifida that she had heard about.

There was amongst the brighter stars in the orphanage's firmament another family of four, goblins, none of whom were yet old enough for school; and that then accounted for all the bright ones, mostly from just four families with the odd one or two others. Leo, Helga and Stoyan could bring those ones on; after all, as the bright ones they would probably too be the ones eager to be brought on and would do voluntary lessons.

And the mother of Mava Sternschein from Neubrandenburg should leave a life of involuntary prostitution; and would teach basic literacy as a new start and if the human children did not like learning from a goblin woman that was tough; and Helga would point out that in the best families, a goblin nanny usually taught such skills. It was a wrong headed way to get them to follow what rich people did; but it was a start. And thinking of goblin nannies, it might not be such a bad idea to suggest to Franziska that she track down HER old nanny – whom Gustav Schiff had doubtless just fired when Franziska started school – as another pair of cuddling arms if nothing more.

The first was quickly and easily arranged; and when Klevda protested faintly to Traudl – who was doing the arranging – that her own literacy was only what she had learned creeping into classes when there weren't any other women to condemn her or chase her away from their children, then Traudl transferred full literacy the quick way as Jade had taught her.

It may be said that Mava was a more convivial companion from Ulvik's point of view than Ligern; who was a nice enough boy but rather, as Ulvik sighed, frustrating in his scattiness. And he knew, when he complained of it to Jade exactly what her answer was going to be; to help the boy organise his life a bit better.

Mava was a girl who knew what she wanted; equality and fairness and better treatment for girls who got raped whatever their race and recognition that half breeds were people too. The idea of marauding sounded a fine one to her; and Ulvik had his first ally.

There was much in Mava that reminded Jade of Hermione, save that at eleven Mava was already unfortunate enough to understand the issues she was standing up for only too well.

Mind you, there was much about Ligern that might remind one of Ron; so Jade murmured to Ulvik that being scatty was not necessarily a BAR to marauding so long as the heart was in the right place.

Fortunately for Ulvik's tolerance, Ligern made friends with Leofa gan Gyrth from the village; both were just bubbling about the opportunity to gain education and with this so radical concept to enthuse over, it may be said that neither would consider pushing further or hoping for more.

oOoOo

Three other students arrived early; Jaromir Frolik brought in the oldest three children of his assistant, Schenik because, as he said, they were so excited that the other children were getting restive; and too it gave Schenik the chance to get to know the younger ones now he was out of prison.

"You did well there, offering him a job and rehabilitation" said Jade. "These older ones don't resent it?"

"They've had the chance to see and spend time with him; and to feel that at last the family fortunes are looking up. Grelleg doesn't have to be man of the house any more because his father has a good job, so he can have the chance to be a child at last; though I suspect that being used to hard graft and responsibility will see him pulling away from his fellows" said Jaromir. "He also has an eidetic memory; sees something once and he remembers. I swear he's managed to pull ahead just by reading Bronislava's text books."

"Well I shall test him; and if he has done so I'll consider giving him a remove right away into the second, only a year below his chronological age" said Jade "Especially if he wants to put in intensive work over the last couple of weeks of the holiday."

"The only thing that stops him working is quidditch" said Jaromir "He's actually very good himself; I thought he might use my broom. It's no great shakes, but it IS a broom of his own."

"Heh, if he's that good I'll get decent brooms for the school team and we'll challenge Durmstrang!" laughed Jade. "Come and meet my new children and we shall introduce your protégés to them."

If Jaromir was taken aback that Jade and Wulf had adopted full and half goblins, he had become used enough to her to take it more or less in his stride and passed Grelleg's twin siblings to Ulvik to show around.

Saxburra and her brother Torschik were quite ready to adapt to walking tall and meeting humans in the eye, but were for the time being sufficient unto each other and so Ulvik did not invite them yet at least to Maraud; though he did explain the concept.

The twins were certainly interested so Ulvik left the idea sinking in.

Grelleg bowed to Jade when she asked him if he wanted to be tested and to be pushed forward.

"If you please, noble professor, I am used to working hard; I held down two jobs while dad was in prison" he shot her a quick look "Herr Frolik says you know about that? And that he was brave in order to get out sooner?"

"Yes; and I am very pleased with Herr Frolik – who was at the time my pupil – for having the wit to realise that a man is often only dishonest in order to try to feed his family" said Jade "I introduced the concept of reducing sentences through volunteers taking curses to test ZH Dark Arts students at Durmstrang; I am opposed to teaching the Dark Arts purely, without teaching defences also, but to test curses against animals is not a true test. It seemed that using volunteer prisoners would hopefully do good all round, and in getting your father re-united with his family and your family sponsored by Herr Frolik, if no more good comes of it, then it has at least had some positive effect. You are a good boy to take care of your mother; and I beg you to promise me that you will have FUN at school as well as working hard; it would please your mother to know that you have the chance at some childhood."

Grelleg grinned.

"To get the chance to actually play quidditch is fantastic!" he said "Goblins don't have brooms; Herr Frolik is letting me use his, is that not generous?"

"He's a good lad" said Jade. "if – no WHEN – we are good enough to take a bash at Durmstrang I'll buy top brooms for the school team; it will be many years before we have any hope of beating them – enough time for our first years to have been playing quidditch for most of their school life – but I don't see why we might not give them a game in a couple of years. Perhaps play Prince Peak first; they are used to fielding their own mixed race team, their current seeker is a Swiss goblin boy who's already had a few offers to be signed by a number of teams. It is now another career for a goblin to consider even on the continent."

Grelleg nodded seriously.

"And one I might well consider, at least for the few years anyone can play, with an education to find a secondary job afterwards!" he added happily.

"You're a good planner" said Jade "And don't rule out a secondary job being as a coach or teaching. Right; I'm going to give you a viva voce exam – a spoken exam – to give me some idea of how much you've already picked up; then I'll know if you can catch up enough to go into the second without too much struggling."

Jade was impressed by Grelleg's answers; though over one or two of his glib definitions she stopped, went back and asked trickily worded questions to check his actual understanding.

"We need to work a little on your understanding of potioneering" she said "It IS one of the core subjects; and I should like to see you put in more time too in Arithmancy. I should say that you are equal to the best of the second years in transfigurations, and more or less up there over charms; and you've a rather esoteric understanding of the Dark Arts from chatting with Jaromir that you have some complex knowledge and are missing a few basics for assimilating that in chat. I WILL advance you a class, but you must put in for me two hours a day on Arithmancy and potions for the rest of the holiday and I'll run you through some of the basics of Dark Arts and the simple defensive spells. Having a shield charm is good; very advanced even; but you need to know the lesser spells to demonstrate knowledge. Also more knowledge of dark creatures. It is not much to catch up."

"Thank you gracious witch; you are very good" said Grelleg.

"You are my pupil" said Jade "And by the by, Frau Professor or Frau Von Luytens does fine. Such is the level of formality as is required; as one of those here early I also pass to you that boys bow and girls curtsey to the headmaster – my husband – and all students rise when a professor enters the room."

"Yes Frau Professor" said Grelleg.

oOoOo

That was now nine pupils in the second; and a manageable seventeen in the upper first. And if any of the second could work their way up to the third over the next year, that too would be good. Jade watched the children who were here early play quidditch and sighed in satisfaction. With eleven of them, and Irmi filling in to make a twelfth, they could play six-a-side quidditch and if some were unwieldy on a broom, both Grelleg and his brother were very good. Jade sent for all the older orphans to play an impromptu round Robin match, taking turns with the brooms she had bought – plain Cleansweeps – to play the informal teams that formed. Jade sighed that the orphans were still forming single race teams; hopefully that would change.

"Please, Frau Professor, will you tell me what brooms we have here and what are the best?" asked Grelleg. "I have heard that the new Schnellstfluger -07 is the best."

"It's a fairly good broom; not dissimilar to the original English Firebolt" said Jade "In my opinion the Millenium Firebolt is unsurpassed as a sports broom; let's face it the company DOES use the slogan 'four triwizard champions can't be wrong' and David Fraser – he refereed the world cup as WELL as being a triwizard champion – swears by his for speed of turning and seeing all the action of the games he oversees. We have a sports broom at the lower end here, not quite as good as the Zweiggeist you're using but in a similar range. Can you tell me WHY I picked slower and less responsive brooms at first?"

"So those of us who've never flown don't get caught by surprise and thrown off?" said Grelleg.

"Precisely" said Jade. "When we have a well practised group of flyers we can upgrade."

Ulvik and Mava joined them.

"Are you going to make Grelleg captain of sports?" asked Ulvik.

"That depends if there's anyone older than him who is better or at least as good" said Jade. "Do you play hurley too, Grelleg?"

Grelleg brightened.

"I know the game though I've not played much; I haven't had time" he said "But surely the humans of Durmstrang don't play hurley?"

"No; but the mixed race school Hogwarts does" said Jade "Prince Peak does not; it had some rather precious darlings for a while and hurley can be a little rough. Great fun!" she grinned. "We'll play a little cricket as well to challenge Prince Peak in that; games are important."

"Please, Frau Professor, don't they take time away from lessons?" asked Grelleg.

"You're one of a rare handful of students to worry about that" said Jade "Actually, playing games and having leisure time ensures that you study lessons better. The brain can only learn intensively for about twenty minutes at a time; this is why a lesson is twice that in length, ten minutes to introduce and have some discussion around the day's topic, twenty to twenty five minutes hard work and intensive learning then five or ten minutes consolidating and setting of further preparation. Then you go to your next class and the few minutes to change over after a wind-down session of writing down prep then prepares you for the next lesson with your brain sufficiently rested to go into the next intensive study session. Double lessons are usually arranged for practical lessons that have tasks requiring a longer time to complete; but practical tasks do not have quite the level of intensity of information assimilation so the brain gets less tired. Periods of complete relaxation at the end of the day mean your brain rests properly and permits you to sleep a good restful sleep that growing bodies need – even marauders – to fit you for another day's work. Too much late night brain work means your brains do not switch off, and you do not get restful sleep; which means that you are dull and stupid in class. Some who try to work TOO hard find that this means they cannot work properly so they study still later into the night, making the problem even worse and eventually making them ill. We will have compulsory leisure periods; and it is to aid study in the proper period."

"Thank you for explaining that Frau Professor" said Grelleg "Now I understand I shall not attempt to study at all hours to take myself further on."

"Good boy" said Jade "I can see you managing to catch up to the third over this year; and you may then feel you need to do some study in the next long holiday; but do NOT neglect some holiday!"

"I shan't ma'am" said Grelleg.

"It's the same for goblin and human brains then, Frau Professor?" asked Mava.

"Exactly the same" said Jade "Humans and goblins have slightly different outlooks on what is important to them; one might say we are defined by our vices. But it is slight; a matter of degree and no more. Indeed, different cultures have more differences between their members of the same race than two races of the same culture, so long as upbringing is much the same. Differences here are emphasised by goblins being treated as second class citizens. But we think after the same manner; have the same range of intelligence; and can both be as nasty as each other if we really put our minds to it. And in both races most people don't actually want to better themselves when push comes to shove because they would rather wallow in a morass of moronic turgidity than shift themselves to actually think or do anything that alters their nice comfortable preconceived ideas and bigotry."

"You're on a mission again mum" grinned Ulvik.

"Ya noticed!" grinned Jade.

oOoOo

Jade also received a letter from Angelica Hellibore, who had been her friend since Jade had healed the girl's crooked back on that first wild night at Prince Peak; declaring that she was dead bored as a debutant, and asking that surely she could pay back Jade's healing by passing it on now she was a competent transfigurationist, chanter and curse breaker by helping out in some of her projects.

Jade was delighted; Angelica had an apparating licence and was a pure bred witch, which would impress the sort of people who would try to put down Taryn Rebet as she went roving to help people; they might work together as well as having several security goblins hired locally. Angelica was equal to almost any threat; AND she was blood group. They would be very busy! Jade had considered making Taryn school nurse but discarded that; she would have enough to do with her own tasks. Vasilica might patch up the odd cuts and dose people with pepperup potion between helping Mischa do the same for the school beasts; and any serious troubles, she, Jade, would sort out. This couldn't be better; now she wouldn't worry about Taryn at all and she wrote back to Angelica with a warm acceptance!


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Jade had arranged Portkeys for the various groups to travel; with certain individuals being collected by elf, since it was only a few. As the school took off, train transport to various hubs would become less risky; for now the pupils risked some taunts or trouble from wizarding children of more established families. Those being collected individually were Delfine Schrotter from Hamburg, the muggleborn girl Liesel Bredel, Lazek and Har gan Szark, the Hungarian boys, sons of Agata's concierge; and Didi gan Gautic from France. The Polish girl, Nuta gan Kolaz, would be brought in by Clovis Gierek's elven wife Tildi and Shizue Tsuda would be brought direct by Takeo. There were to be two Portkeys to each location, one for human and one for goblin; not because Jade liked the idea of segregation but the communities were separate and the goblins might get hassled and delayed so they missed a portkey in a human area. The muggleborn child in Berlin, Renate Haber, friend of Valerie Müller, was to be brought to the portkey by Herman Meyer and Jurgen Lötze who would collect her; Valerie was to be brought by one of the elves of Prince Peak. The orphans had been brought over and those of the village children who were attending had walked up and the portkeys should arrive over a ten minute window. Such a shame that they would not have the fun of a train journey; perhaps that might be laid on at some point in the future with portkeys to a train station from Neubrandenberg say. It was at least a Saturday, which would give them all day Sunday to shake down together. Jade had decided to go with the Hogwarts custom of getting all the pupils back to school on the first day of September regardless of what day it was; it made it much easier for parents to know where they were. Though few parents needed that degree of certainty quite so much as the Hubbles or Mary-Anne Green's father had done!

oOoOo

"Good morning" said Wulf, using a sonorous spell. "I am the headmaster of the school, Herr Professor Luytens. My Wife is joint but junior head with me as she will be teaching classes also. For convenience she will be using her maiden name, as Frau Professor Von Strang. Our other married couple will do likewise, such that Herr Professor Bane's wife is Frau Professor Breuer. Please listen carefully to roll-call; this will tell you into which classes we have decided to, at least provisionally, place you into. I will tell you your form teacher first before I read the names and that form teacher will step forward to make himself or herself known to you; when your name is called, you will line up behind that professor and wait quietly" he told them. He and Jade had wrestled with various ideas and decided that form teachers as people to go to for guidance was probably the best way to give the children a special identifiable adult for the time being. He went on, "Your form teacher is a person to whom to go if you have any problems; by way of being a parent figure while you are away from home. For those people who look for aid from someone of a different gender to their assigned form teacher – and there are sometimes some very good reasons for that – you may choose either to go to Professor Von Strang or come to me. Professor Von Strang is also in charge of medical emergencies, and Frau Seregin is the school nurse. And just because her husband teaches Care of Magical beasts does not necessarily mean she will give you horse medicine." There was some laughter.

"Unless they're faking" said Vasilica.

There was some more, slightly nervous laughter.

"Frau Seregin will also teach a hobby class for those interested in comparative magic" said Wulf "Those of you who take an interest in Runes, chanting, history or Dark Arts may find it an interesting study. Music will also be available as a hobby class under Herr Professor Hastläufer who teaches chanting. Now! The Third will have as its form master Herr Professor Bane; in this year will be Reiner Kurtz; Herman Meyer; and Jurgen Lötze. I hope this class will grow considerably as those of the second who are capable catch up to it. The second has Frau Professor Breuer as its form mistress; in it are Hegi gan Guthic; Witlac gan Jokel; Nuta gan Kolaz" he listed the class of nine alphabetically. "I hear a whisper that the third is human and the second is mostly goblin; this is because some humans have the option of small schools and the ones advanced have had the opportunity to study several subjects over two or more years. And Fraulein Schrotter in the second has studied as long as the other boys but, alas, only on a small curriculum. The goblins in the second have been part of a program that was put in place for a year to try to bring on as many people as possible in a couple of communities; those communities where we had community support. The support in Berlin was from individuals only, not the community. Those of you who are over eleven and who are not in a higher class need not feel bad however, because you will have your own class – the Upper First – which will give you every opportunity to accelerate yourselves to get a remove to a higher class, or at least to teach you enough to gain the new qualification, the ZAP, the Zauberkunst Algemein Prufung, a general certificate demonstrating that you have studied five subjects to a standard that gives you basic knowledge to start in a career requiring some understanding of how magic works. Each of the five subjects will be graded as well, so that if, say, you only scrape a pass on four but get an 'O' grade on Arithmancy, the job of curse-breaker's assistant would be a distinct possibility. We are here to give you as good an education as YOU are prepared to work for. Now, Upper First will have Fraulein Professor Mondschein as your form teacher; and you are as follows."

Wulf read out the upper first's names; then told the youngest that their form mistress would be Fraulein Professor Nistor – Rodica was very good with little ones – and read their names to check that all were there.

Herman Meyer raised a hand.

Wulf nodded to him to speak.

"Will those of us in the third also be permitted to work to rise too?" he asked.

Wulf considered.

"You and Herr Lötze are a year behind your chronological age; if you can pull ahead I have no objection so long as you do not make yourselves ill with over study. And that goes for all" he said. "My wife reminded me that our leisure periods are compulsory for a very good reason; you may, many of you, be working less hard physically at school, but brains can be strained too with too much hard work, and you will take time to rest to improve your overall performance. NO studying under the blankets at night; that's an immediate remove to the sick bay without ANY books. If you are concerned about any subject, ASK the teacher involved; it may be that a few remedial lessons arranged under supervision are all that you require."

He paused, and looked around before continuing.

"Very well; your form teachers will take you to your common rooms where you will find your timetable; and printed sheets onto which to copy it for your personal reference. Each form also has a class room which will be used for preparation and for morning roll call, which also has a small library section of the extra text books your level requires. You will find your names upon the desks; when you have made friends you may ask permission to change desks to sit next to a friend, but any bad behaviour, collaboration without permission during preparation time, or excess giggling, will cause you to be separated. These desks are by way of lockers to house your text and note books, pencil cases and other necessary paraphernalia. They should not be used for jokes, tricks, rubber spiders, clockwork gadgets, snacks or pets. We have provided each of you with the necessary text books; please take care of them. They will pass to the next year to use them. You may write your name in the name sheet pasted in the front; if you break it, you bought it and will be required either to pay or to do work to the value of the cost. Inscribing names on desks is forbidden. Others need to be able to write on a smooth surface after you. It is, as are the school rules, a matter of showing respect for others. The rules are also listed in the common rooms; they are for the convenience of the pupils NOT the staff, to ensure the smooth running of your school."

He allowed that to sink in with a buzz of interest, then continued,

"Each of you also has a locker in the cloakrooms downstairs for boots and a pair of pegs for outside cloaks, gowns and hats; quidditch kit will live in the locker room of the broomshed. There is a cupboard for personal possessions each in the common room; school books are forbidden in the common room without permission and in the bedroom entirely. The games and story books in the common room are for communal use; be courteous in their use. Be also courteous to the few non German students we have here and be aware that racist comments will be punished in the traditional English fashion. Very good; you may ask your class teachers to clarify anything you wish further information on; dismissed."

The classes marched out; or rather, mostly shambled.

"Well done love" said Jade.

"I felt like a specimen on display" complained Wulf.

"A very NICE specimen" purred Jade.

"DOWN woman; we have a school to run" said Wulf.

"And when they've inspected all the areas with their teachers and been shown each classroom they'll be free to run about and explore; and we become superfluous" cooed Jade.

"The woman tempted me" grinned Wulf, picking her up effortlessly.

Jade giggled and snuggled at him.

oOoOo

"Please Professor Nistor, what is punishment for racism in the English fashion?" asked Lurtz gan Sidor.

"Being turned into a giant woodlouse without losing your intellect" said Rodica; all the staff had been apprised of that one! "I trust you feel no urges of bigotry?"

"No Fraulein Professor, only of curiosity" said Lurtz gravely.

"I for one hope you goblins will tell us humans more about yourselves so we may learn" said Klemens Moser holding out a hand to Lurtz "Because if you're stirred by curiosity you can't take offence at me being nosy too."

Lurtz laughed and shook. Ulvik moved quickly towards them.

"If I got your names correctly, I believe you two were recommended as possible Marauders" he said, holding out his own hand "Mava and I are the first unofficial Schloss Adler Marauders and we liked the look of you."

"What's Marauders? It sounds dangerous" said Klemens.

"Well it can be 'cos Marauders stand up to bullies and stand up for the rights of people and fight dark wizards and things" said Ulvik.

"Aren't we a little young to fight dark wizards?" said Klemens dubiously.

"Well yes, but the kids at Hogwarts have fought Odessa and so have the ones at Prince Peak and half the ones from Prince Peak came fresh from fighting Voldemort because they were ones who had parents being teachers in Hogwarts so they got involved even before they started school" said Ulvik.

"Is that why the English are dead hard because the ones who survive dark wizards are tough?" asked Lurtz.

"I never heard they lost anyone; it's just they got in a lot of practice at being tough" said Ulvik.

"And where DID you hear about it; if you don't mind me asking?" said Klemens.

"Well, it's not something to make a song and dance about but I'm adopted and my new mum was at Hogwarts as one of the kids there in the Voldemort years" said Ulvik "And I'm dead proud of her and dad, 'cos they both fought Odessa."

"I didn't know they'd had goblins there that long" said Lurtz.

"Well they had, but my new parents are human" said Ulvik "Because race really doesn't matter and I have several adopted brothers and sisters who are goblin, half goblin and human, and dad has a grown up daughter and they have a very little boy of their own too. So there" he added.

"That's sort of really putting their actions with their mouths; I think that's pretty damn cool" said Klemens. "Do they know about Marauding?"

Ulvik laughed.

"Mum told me about it; said I ought to start the first branch here. She got it going in Durmstrang you know; and her dad was one of the original marauders and they did it to protect a little boy who was a werewolf so he didn't get picked on; and to keep him safe when he had to be a wolf. No cure then" he added. "Will you two maraud with us? We did think about the gan Schenik twins but they kinda seem sufficient to themselves. I wish Grelleg gan Schenik was our age I think he'd be a good marauder; he can think and plan and he's sensible as well as brave and hard working."

"Maybe we could make him an honorary marauder" said Klemens. "If he's one of the older ones and he's hard working I shouldn't think he'll have much time to Maraud. How do we go about marauding?"

"It's done to hone skills of observation by looking for secret passages – and I say, NEXT year we're to learn geomancy and that means we can make magical maps to see if walls are thicker than they ought to be – and seeing if we can figure out if anything is wrong and people are miserable and things."

"We can see if walls are too thick with old fashioned measuring" said Lurtz "I know a bit about mapping mine passages though I don't know if it's done the same way."

"Well THAT's all good" said Ulvik.

"How do we see if people are miserable if they're trying not to show it?" asked Klemens "I wouldn't want anyone to know in case they bullied me."

"You boys just don't HAVE what it takes with that" said Mava "People who are miserable kind of scringe in on themselves and their necks look all tight and they don't meet people readily in the eye and sometimes they don't eat properly; it's far more subtle than having red eyes from crying. Or if they've become unhappy they behave differently or do worse at chores – or in class I guess – and are sort of prickly."

"We bow to your superior womanly er thingy" said Ulvik, proceeding to do so.

Mava threw the jellied furnunculous curse at him which he quickly countered.

"Well, right" said Klemens rather impressed by both curse and counter. "And I say. what are your names? 'cos you know ours but we didn't catch yours."

"This is Fraulein Mava Sternschein" said Ulvik – Mava curtseyed quite nicely – "And at your service, Ulvik Von Luytens." He bowed beautifully having asked Wulf to teach him.

There was a stunned silence.

"You aren't actually having us on, are you?" asked Klemens.

"No" said Ulvik "I keep my real da's name as a middle name, Rorik; but dad is Professor Luytens and the von comes from mum who says her kids are supposed to have it so let's irritate the terminally bigoted. She's like that" he added. "And I am quite happy to irritate the terminally bigoted. It doesn't pass to grandchildren though except in the direct line which is why Herr Ritter Kesselring is not Herr Von Kesselring because his father has an elder brother. Who has no children. So his father is Von Kesselring because of HIS father. Rum goes, isn't it? He would also be Von if his grandfather died because then he'd be….hang on, heir presumptive because his dad would be heir apparent."

"I never knew how it worked before" said Klemens.

"I think muggles do it differently and keep the von just as part of the name forever" said Ulvik.

"I never thought I'd meet a von anything" said Lurtz "Is he real and do we ought to poke him to check?"

"I thought my mum came to your village when a mine fell in because she said she got a little tired helping out and your mum fed her and let her kip on your bed?" said Ulvik.

"It kind of didn't occur to me" said Lurtz "We didn't know how important she was when she came, only that she saved dad's life and loads of other people and risked her own life to do it; it made me see that wizards and witches aren't all bad; then Herr Professor Kesselring came to teach us and Herr Professor Tordak from England who's half human, he's studying engineering. I want to be an engineer."

"Arithmancy" said Ulvik. "And Arithmancy is good for chanting too and chanting is good for japes and japes are good to practise being marauders so we get good at figuring out ritual things to do to discommode baddies."

"And the Herr Headmaster does not mind?" asked Klemens.

"If we are caught we will be punished" said Ulvik "And too it is the done thing to confess if either someone else is blamed or if we are asked to own up; being punished is part of learning too to accept with stoicism that all things have consequence. Besides, it will mostly be writing out poetry and poetry is useful to learn to use with chanting."

"And too we must not play japes that will hurt or frighten others" said Mava "Because that is bullying. Frau Professor Von Strang und Luytens has talked to us about Marauding. So that we do it right" she added.

Jade had told stories in the evenings about some of the more colourful exploits of the marauders and some of their more useful acts; it was a good way to fire the imagination in her protégés.

"Marauders are good for the school because they stop bullies before they can hardly start and report if anything nasty is going on; and they can do it sort of informally to grown up Marauders without it being sneaking because it is off the record for a grown up marauder to look into" said Ulvik "Herr Professor Bane is also a Marauder."

"What shall we do to start off?" asked Klemens.

"We'll ask Fraulein Nistor if we can't have our desks all together" said Mava "So we can plot better when there's talking permitted. Besides it would be nice" she added. "And then we should go round and get to know everyone else. We know the gan Schenik twins and I know the gan Urric twins; they're all right especially Saeyth but not marauders types. We know Ligern and Leofa too" she added

"And I know Elva, Viva and Abert" said Ulvik "So let's say hello to the two foreign ones first."

This was Hungarian Har gan Szark and French Didi gan Gautic.

Har was busy boasting that he and his brother were sponsored by the Headmistress of Durmstrang and trying to work out who was the best connected and richest little girl amongst the goblins and half goblins to try to impress; and Didi was trying to ingratiate himself with any human children in the class, which was just three of them, the diffident Emilia Horber from the Perukestrasse, Klemens himself and Klemens' neighbour in Berlin's Hexengasse, Manfred Schleimann. Manfred was letting him; and the gan Schenick twins were busy protecting Emilia, the forceful Saxburra having met Emilia since the goblin family moved into Jaromir's apartment, and having taken her under her wing. Emilia was very grateful; a goblin who acted like a person pleased her upright and fair little soul, but an aggressively cringing one like Didi bothered her.

And Klemens told him not to be such a pratt.

Didi might be ingratiating to humans but he tried to push other goblins about because his father was rich and might have sent him to an English school as Didi boasted.

"Look here, gan Gautic, I'd not have mentioned it if you weren't being such a snob, but I happen to have heard that your father COULDN'T send you to the English school of Prince Peak because you failed the entrance exam" said Ulvik, who did his fair share of earwigging on his elders. "You want a decent education; that's good and we're all together in that wish or we'd not be here. But you aren't any better than any of us – or worse – you're just another scholar because the heads do not actually care how well off you are or otherwise. They're more interested in how hard you work in school."

"And you would know this why?" sneered Didi.

"Because I've been living here longer than you and so I know opinions from the teachers" said Ulvik, standing on Lurtz' foot as his new friend was about to blurt out that Ulvik was the head's son.

"Oh, some filthy orphan from who knows where then?" sneered Didi "I heard there were such associated with the school that the heads are optimistic enough to hope would not shame them too much."

"The orphans will do just fine" said Ulvik "As it happens I know where I'm from, which is Berlin, and where I live now, which is locally adopted, and I also know that my real parents were honest through and through. Are yours?"

"How DARE you say my father is dishonest!" cried Didi.

"I didn't; I asked if your parents were. Anyone here think I said otherwise?" said Ulvik coldly.

"He merely asked a question, gan Gautic; if you heard otherwise it says to my mind that your thoughts believe that your father may not be honest" said Klemens. "And by the way, making comments about orphans comes as close to being racist as a true racist comment because you're discriminating on grounds of upbringing. Which kind of demonstrates that you weren't brought up but floated to the surface of the turgid pool where you were spawned. Let's have less of it."

"I say, what a NICE description!" said Ulvik "That's worthy of mum!"

Klemens grinned.

"I am sure gan Gautic did not mean to disparage" said Manfred Schliemann "One pities those who have not the advantage of a family but I am sure that whatever the disadvantages, such unfortunates will do their best."

"Crumbs knock yourself out do!" Abert gan Kessel joined the conversation "Frankly it makes me glad that I'm only a bastard; I get it naturally without having worked to acquire it."

Didi smiled fawningly at Manfred.

"Oh well, we don't have to associate with whore's brats and orphan trash like that so-called gan Kessel and this whoever he may be" he said, indicating Ulvik "YOU are plainly of a much better class and as I am the most prominent goblin here I hope you will do me the honour of permitting my friendship."

"You can be my lieutenant" said Manfred. "Klemens, you should also be a part of my gang not stand up for that goblin boy; at least we come from a better part of Berlin than most."

"But then, Manfred, I don't like you; and I DO like Ulvik" said Klemens mildly. "He stands for everything you don't; equality and fairness. And if you don't want equality and fairness I bet you soon find out what being a woodlouse feels like. Me I'm not even sure what a woodlouse is but then I'm not likely to from the point of view of personal experience."

"Stick with your thieving orphan then; and when he steals from you, you'll be sorry" sneered Manfred.

"THAT is fighting talk, Schliemann" said Ulvik "That WAS a clear accusation of dishonesty. I call duel; and as I recall the school rules we are required to have a teacher to officiate while we get used to the system."

"I'm not duelling YOU" said Manfred.

"Oh? You will apologise then?" said Ulvik.

"I will most certainly NOT apologise! You are wearing far too fine a watch for any goblin to have come by honestly!"

"You make false assumption; my father gave it to me. Apologise or I shall – shall chastise you" said Ulvik.

"Your father? Then HE stole it" sneered Manfred.

"Now that is WAY thick to accuse the headmaster of thieving!" burst out Klemens "You jolly well grovel and apologise to Von Luytens!"

Manfred stared.

"What?" he said.

"I WAS going to keep it low key that I was adopted some time ago by the Headmaster and Junior Headmistress" said Ulvik "But I will NOT have you accusing my father of theft; and I've run out of patience with apologies so take THAT you creep!" and he cast the stinging hex at Manfred, who yelped, knowing no counter.

"WHAT is going on?" Rodica was keeping half an eye only on her charges but seeing spells hurled was quickly over there.

Ulvik bowed.

"Mr Schliemann made an insupportable comment that he refused to retract and also refused to duel over; I answered it with a stinging hex" he said.

"Confirmation?" asked Rodica.

"Schliemann called Von Luytens a thief and his father too among other uncomplimentary remarks" reported Saeyth gan Urric "As well as having joined Gautic in calling into question the abilities and implied morals and cleanliness of orphans. Is it not proper to sort this out amongst ourselves?"

"If people make rash and inflammatory remarks they are not generally expected to be such cowards as to refuse to back their comments on the duelling piste unless they apologise" said Rodica "If Mr Schliemann is such a coward he should be very thankful not to have been eligible for Durmstrang; it is NOT a school for the faint hearted" her voice was scornful "Mr Schliemann, to make such an unfounded remark about a man and his father is insupportable; you will apologise if you please; though why you should think that Herr Professor Luytens should need to steal when he is such a wealthy man escapes me."

"Von Luytens accused MY father of being a thief!" said Didi.

"Untrue" said Ulvik "You made uncomplimentary remarks about where I might have come from; I explained that I knew where I came from and that my parents – my birth parents – had been at least honest and ASKED if you could say the same. Had you assured me that you could rather than throwing a paddy, you know I should have believed you as it's rather bad form not to believe another fellow's word."

"Ulvik speaks the truth; gan Gautic was being the most awful bigot" said Mava "He was really having a go at orphans and trying to make out he was better than anyone else and all Ulvik did to get him to insult him was to say that the heads were more interested in how hard people worked than in what their fathers earned or anything."

"Quite true, Fraulein Sternschein" said Rodica. "ARE you going to apologise, Herr Schliemann?"

"I don't see why I should" said Manfred "It was a reasonable assumption to make when a goblin is wearing a rather fine watch that MY father couldn't afford that he or his father must have stolen it; how am I to know he's been adopted by the Head?"

"I should have thought" said Rodica dryly "That if you had any pretensions to decency you would have, as Herr Von Luytens said, believed the word of a fellow pupil. I am sorry that you have had such a deprived upbringing that you have no notions of decency or honourable behaviour; but such this school is also here to teach to those with unfortunate backgrounds."

She paused and Manfred interrupted.

"I'M not the one with an unfortunate background! MY father is paying for me to come here, I come from a nice neighbourhood, not like THAT over there who boasts of being a bastard!" he pointed at Abert.

Abert shrugged.

"I merely pointed out that I was born like it and did not have to achieve bastardy, Fraulein Professor" he said.

Rodica worked on not laughing at his droll manner.

"Well, Herr Schliemann, we are not concerned with the backgrounds of our pupils; merely planning to teach both academic subjects and, if required, decent standards of behaviour. Apparently your father has failed you in instilling such in you if you are unable to even see WHY I should wonder if you have an unfortunate background; so I shall explain again in very short words. Calling a man a thief or liar with no proof is a case of fighting words. Failing to back your words by duel is cowardice; unless you apologise. Making assumptions of wealth, academic ability, cleanliness, honesty or any other judgement call on the basis of race is racism; and is forbidden here. You have demonstrated clear racism in your judgement call on Von Luytens. Therefore you will spend one hour as a woodlouse" she flicked her wand and muttered the incantation, it being one Jade had made all her staff learn by rote even if they had not taken ZH in transfiguration "You will moreover produce for me by Monday teatime twenty repetitions – a mild imposition for the first offence – of 'only the man who lacks honour, honour in others doubts' and consider the truth in that statement with intent to remedy your own deficiencies. I hope you are NOT proud of having the record of being the first person ever set lines in this school. Mr Von Luytens, you are supposed to be above reproach as a Professor's child, so for having to resort to a stinging hex you may write me out Henry V's speech before Harfleur."

Ulvik nodded.

"Yes ma'am" he said.

"Please, Fraulein, it is scarcely fair when he tried to give soft answer first!" said Mava.

"Fraulein Sternschein, the children of Professors do not expect fairness; they expect greater expectations of their performance and harsher discipline" said Rodica "As too do any who expect to Maraud. I explain this just once not call you to task for impudence."

"Very well Fraulein Professor; I see" said Mava, who was not sure she did.

"Greater training" said Ulvik quietly to her "It's a jolly good speech; mum read it to us, remember? I don't mind; I only mind that Schliemann and gan Gautic are such clots."

"Perhaps they'll improve" said Lurtz.

"Manfred hasn't in all the time I've known him" said Klemens. "Still he IS away from fond parents" he brightened "And so not in a situation where his word is the one assumed gospel."

Rodica pretended not to hear that; but filed it away.

Schliemann might be a problem. Well better to know early than later. It was NOT fair to punish Ulvik; but better than that he should be labelled teacher's pet.

"Please excuse me" said Emilia Horber quietly "Only I was wondering, Fraulein Professor Nistor, if you would have punished that boy – er, Von Luytens – if he had not been a professor's child, adopted or otherwise."

Rodica looked down and saw genuine concern; and bent down.

"No I should not" she said "But do you think he would rather do a mild imposition and be one with the rest of you, or be in a position where those who disliked him might try to turn others against him by calling him teacher's pet?"

Emilia considered this.

"I suppose it is far better to have teachers seem unfair and know that it's going to happen than have your schoolfellows be unfair and call ordinary fairness and justice partiality" she said shyly "I think Schliemann and gan Gautic are the sort to call ordinary fairness partiality because they don't like being the ones punished. I expect they are spoilt" she added.

"I'm afraid you may well be right; though it's too early for me to comment even if it were proper to do so" said Rodica "I have seen parallels in Durmstrang. Are you hoping to be a teacher?"

"Yes Fraulein Professor; Saxburra and I want to start a school in Neubrandenburg for both humans and goblins if the school there won't start accepting goblins" said Emilia. "It's harder teaching than just telling people the things they need to know, though, isn't it?"

"If that were all there was to teaching, it would be an easy job and more people would volunteer for it; especially those who like the sound of their own voice" said Rodica dryly. "I wish you luck in your ambitions; though I'd advise the both of you to teach a year in another school first. I have been, and it has made a great difference. And when Nef – er, Frau von Luytens – has another trained enchanting professor I shall probably return to Romania to make sure I can take English methods too to my homeland."

"Thank you for telling me all this Fraulein Professor" said Emilia earnestly and skipped off to her friend Saxburra.

Rodica reflected that the child might have to learn less diffidence of manner to be able to teach but at least her heart was in the right place; and that cheerfully self confident goblin friend of hers should boost her confidence too.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Herr Professor Bane had explained to his class of three that a timetable had been arranged to take into account the fact that they had attended different schools with different subjects studied; and that they should study charms and potions together but that Herr Meyer and Herr Lötze must needs joint the upper first for transfigurations and too take an extra remedial lesson in this to bring them up to a required level.

"Herr Kurtz will continue to study history during this time with Herr Professor Grindler who is most pleased to have one student beyond teaching basic facts of how Europe has been shaped by muggles and wizards alike" said Mortimer. "I will be teaching you transfigurations which is one reason I was chosen as your class teacher; the opportunity to catch you all up to study together, with luck by Yule. The head would like you to study Arithmancy too as Herr Kurtz has done, at least to basic levels; I will myself also take the pair of you in remedial classes. And if either or both of you find an aptitude or enjoy it, then catching you up to Herr Kurtz can be addressed. Herr Kurtz, if you wish to study Care of Beasts or Enchanting the staff are happy to find time to catch you up to the level of your class mates, who have studied these subjects that you have not; all of you will be new to chanting, herbology, runes and defence against the dark arts; it is hoped that you will learn enough about the dark arts to at least be able to repel a boggart – normally third year work – and enough herbology to recognise most things you are putting in potions; enough runes to recognise at least if you come across any dangerous ones; and enough chanting to deal with minor curses. I started school at the age of fourteen; and in two years I managed to take six OWLs, the English equivalent to ZPs; I went on to Hogwarts school where I took the five I got 'O' grade in to NEWT, or ZH equivalent."

The boys were respectfully silent at that; it was an impressive record even for someone who had been in schooling all their school aged life.

"You went from NO schooling, sir, to gain six ZP equivalents in just two years?" asked Herman in a hushed voice.

Mortimer nodded.

"I was scarcely literate" he said. "And others of my age did well enough to get good jobs; it's a reason Frau Von Luytens and Herr Luytens decided to take up to fifteen year olds if they were keen; because the new qualification is not much above the level you three have studied to; it is the equivalent of what a pupil of four years conventional study might expect to cover. Of course, in a big school they would be studying ten or eleven subjects, not five; but in general, the three compulsory subjects and two interest subjects will give a basis to start any job with training alongside the job, yet not requiring the employer to begin from scratch. I fully anticipate that you three should readily get six or seven ZPs, which would not be looked at askance at Durmstrang or Hogwarts amongst the less ambitious pupils; and I would strongly suggest getting six or seven good grades is better than trying to overreach yourselves catching up other subjects. It's the ZHs that count. I DID have the advantage of being the ward of one of my professors after my father died in an accident after my first term; and permission to use the library in the holidays. That gives almost another whole term's study you know, and he gave me every encouragement. I got lucky; but such IS possible."

"It would make sense, Herr Professor, if we all try to be covering the same classes as each other" said Jurgen. "Herman and I have more subjects to catch up, but we are ahead, I think, in potions and enchanting which were taught particularly well."

"Yes, I understand you have done well in those subjects" said Mortimer "You would wish to accelerate in Arithmancy too? And History?"

"Defence against the Dark Arts is more useful to us than History unless we want to study law" said Jurgen thoughtfully.

"Oh not at all" said Herman "Who controls the past, controls the future my dad says; history is important."

"History and runes then for you and a career as an Anwalt?" asked Mortimer.

"I – yes, I think so" said Herman.

"I'd rather try to be an animal handler" said Jurgen "But if I can only get a job in pest control, I'd have to deal with boggarts too."

"Sensible to consider that" said Mortimer. "Have you given any thought to what you want to do, Herr Kurtz?"

Rudi shook his head.

"Not deeply sir, no. I thought about curse breaking; or I might learn subjects that aren't taught in Neubrandenberg well enough to teach with an expanded curriculum" he said.

"Well your basic skills and an introduction to other classes to try should give you all a broad enough base to see what interests you" said Mortimer.

oOoOo

Anett Breuer-Bane regarded her second years.

"I have been asked to warn you that the faculty intends to test you in each core subject as one of the first things you do, in order to check your understanding and to see if your disparate learning has left any of you at sea in any minor point; it is easy enough to miss a class, or to fail to understand a small point" she said. "Most of you have, I believe, covered the five subjects of the core curriculum, charms, transfigurations, Arithmancy, potions and DADA; a couple of you have also studied herbology and enchanting. Fraulein Schrotter, your understanding of charms is superior, also your runes and history, which means you will have free study in those subjects to push further as you will and you will take remedial classes in the other four core subjects. I will myself give you remedial classes in potions and in transfigurations; Frau Professor Von Strang will give you classes in Dark arts and Arithmancy. You will also sit with the upper first for their lessons in those subjects until you are caught up at least partially; some of the third will also be with you for some of those lessons, there is no shame in having missed out on some classes we consider key here. But every witch or wizard should know how to brew at least simple remedies to ailments; and to have enough knowledge of transfiguration at least to heal small wounds. Those of you planning to work to draw ahead because you are below your chronological age should come to see me when you have been settled for some three weeks and I will assist you to draw up a program of further study. But do remember that all work and no play makes Jack in need of glumbumble juice for hysterics and depletes our supplies of it" she added smiling to show that she jested.

The class grinned ruefully, especially Ervig gan Sabac, who was already fifteen and determined to learn enough to be an engineer. Having been turned over by his father, with Hegi gan Guthic, to almost full time education over the previous year, some of which had been debates between Herr Kesselring and Herr Tordak who also taught Arithmancy, he and Hegi were well on and he felt able to keep up easily with the rest as well as pulling ahead. The debates had taught almost as much as formal lessons. And on a few occasions, Herr Gierek who was this year teaching at Durmstrang, had brought his protégé Nuta gan Kolaz along to meet others who would go to school with her. Nuta would not be pulling ahead; she was good at charms and had no real difficulty with potions but found the rest of the curriculum hard. The ambitious ones were Ervig, Grelleg gan Schenik, and Lehrt gan Sittig the latter of whom would like to be ahead of his little sister and equally little cousin, who were both the same age as the first years proper. Lehrt thought it better that he should concentrate hard on the five subjects to which Fraulein Professor Mondschein had introduced them, rather than broadening his approach; five subjects would give him a choice to consider ZH from, and the only one he found challenging was potions. Still, his sister found it even harder; and had famously turned a matchstick into splinters rather than a needle in her first transfiguration class back in Neubrandenburg. Lehrt spoke to Fraulein Professor Breuer about his wishes.

She nodded.

"I take your point, Herr gan Sittig; and possibly you are right in your choice. But bear with the taster classes in other subjects; if you find one you have an aptitude for, then it would be a shame not to follow it. Professor Mondschein gives me good report of you; you would be capable of catching up to and studying seven or eight ZPs, so though I am happy to consider your idea, I still tell you to wait. Chanting, for example, can improve potions; not perhaps useable in an exam, but eminently useable in real life, should you, for example, wish to use your early experience and apply for a job as manager of a tannery. If you move into one of the related leatherworking industries that the Frau Baronin is starting, as I believe, herbology may help you with dyeing. If you wish to be a Vehmgericht – if they're accepting goblins by the time you leave school – chanting to ally with Arithmancy and DADA may be useful. You may become fascinated by history and write a seminal work from a different viewpoint. You may discover a touch with animals, or a joy with enchanting that if you also enjoy metalworking will give you a superior ability with traditional methods."

"Please, Frau Professor, it is not in the spirit of racism, but why have we a human professor of goblin metalwork?"

"Because he is one of only two people in the world with a ZH equivalent qualification in it; the other of whom is teaching temporarily at Prince Peak" said Anett. "His teacher is a goblin but new techniques were discovered by mixing goblin knowhow with wanded magic; and with various magical theories, or so I am given to understand" she said "My oldest protégé at Prince Peak is looking forward to starting the subject; her father learned to make cauldrons on the production line and he too is fascinated. I would not mind sitting in on some of Herr Professor Black-Weasley's classes myself" she added.

"Well I guess it can't hurt to learn what other subjects are like" said Lehrt dubiously "Thank you for listening, Frau Professor."

"I'm always willing to do that" said Anett. She trusted the boy to give his best shot to all the other classes they studied; Traudl had spoken well of him.

And if he still preferred to get further ahead with fewer subjects, well at least he was not having to be brought up to scratch in almost all the core subjects like Delfine Schrotter!

oOoOo

Traudl Mondschein spoke to the upper first.

"You are all of disparate age from twelve to fifteen; and the older you are, the harder it is going to be to catch up to a level that is close to your own age group. Generally speaking therefore we are going to concentrate on getting you to the level of the ZAP over the next year or two. I would like first however to tell you a story. Frau Von Strang's adoptive mother was not known to be a witch, as HER mother died birthing her and so she was raised in a muggle orphanage; an orphanage with a strong counter ritual through religion that blocked knowledge of her from her kin. She was fifteen before she was discovered and sent to Hogwarts. She proceeded, having read through the earlier books on the train journey, to enter the fourth and caught up enough to take some OWLs – what they call ZPs – that very year; more the following year together with a couple of NEWTs – ZHs – taken actually a year young; and finished her NEWTs at the proper age the year after. She took seven gaining 'O' in five. All this whilst being part of Harry Potter's bodyguard fighting Voldemort. Now, Frau Professor Snape is exceptional; but I hope you will find her determination to catch up an inspiration. How many of you have studied in muggle schools?" she asked.

Valerie, Renate, Shizue, Liesel Bredel and Gunnar Heuvormund put their hands up.

"Good; those of you who have studied mathematics have a head start with Arithmancy" said Traudl "And Frau Professor Von Strang will give you crossover lessons in that. You should too have some useful techniques to help you with potioneering. The older ones among you will go to bed an hour later than the younger and may spend the extra hour in study; those of you who are already fifteen and over will start with a fast overview of the first three years of study and will have to take very fast notes; this is Magda Schmitt, Biirta Hess, Shizue Tsuda, Gauda gan Garit, Gunnar Heuvormund, Ktell Klugman, Lazek gan Szark and Kole gan Doric. You will all report to the classroom half an hour before breakfast and too during the junior leisure hour after preparation. You will have your leisure period after the youngsters have departed for bed. You will also give up your Saturday mornings and two hours on Sunday afternoon. If you flag for lack of leisure, talk to me and we shall relax this stringent catch up class; it's never worth making any of you ill over, and the level of stress one person can handle may be greater than another. We have, as a school, the right to keep you in education until your nineteenth birthday. If it takes that time to get a qualification, it takes that time. Even the oldest amongst you – except Gauda – should have progressed through four conventional years' work by then to the level of the ZAP. Our aim is to do it quicker by putting you under pressure over five subjects where in the normal way a student would be taking perhaps twice that number. So you will have twice as many classes in each of those subjects. Any questions?"

Ktell Klugmann, the half goblin boy from the brothel in Berlin's Kobboldstrasse raised a hand and Traudl nodded to him.

"Please Fraulein Professor, if we work hard enough to catch up to the second before the end of the year, will we be permitted to move up?"

"Among the younger ones that would be a yes, Ktell; but for you older ones moving further ahead than catching up to the second is a priority. The second are studying some seven subjects with tasters in others; I should rather advise getting your ZAP as a priority, studying hard enough to convert some or all of them to ZPs; and THEN you might study extra ZPs alongside ZHs if you wish and if you can bring yourself so far on. Miss Tsuda, your parents are prepared to pay for you to come up to the summer following your twentieth birthday; but if I were you, I'd still try to work at the same speed as the others and use any extra time for extra qualifications. Our ministry has no say over foreign students, though I am afraid that does not count those in the German sphere of influence like Hungary, Lazek."

"We can work hard and test each other as we learn our lessons, if we may be permitted to talk quietly in the class room for preparation" said Kole. He really wanted to pull away from a little brother three years younger than him in the same class.

"Yes, that is acceptable" said Traudl "Older ones should be self disciplined enough not to abuse that; if it IS abused in the senior class of Upper First the privilege will be revoked, either for a time period or entirely depending on the scale of the abuse. Bear in mind that anyone who causes this is likely to get it in the neck from your peers" she added. "At Durmstrang, anyone who caused us a collective punishment was generally marched; made to walk up and down between two lines of us hitting them with knotted towels or casting stinging hexes or wand burning or just slapping; up and down and up and down until we felt they'd got the point. The staff would discipline anyone they caught marching a victim; be aware of this, but sometimes rough justice can work. So long as it IS justice and only for a real offence against your fellows. If in doubt, I will try to answer a hypothetical question from the point of view of having been a schoolgirl not so very long ago and I'll try not to tell the Fraulein Professor inside me. The older ones among you particularly need a form mistress who is a guide and a mentor rather than purely a disciplinarian. You younger ones are under less pressure but we will still work on the principle that double lessons on the core five will get you further faster. This means you should all have covered as much of the curriculum as the current second by the end of this year; at which point you will then enter the third with them and the older ones among you will become the Upper third unless you have already pulled away enough to join the three boys who will then be the fourth. Or maybe overtaken them to make a fifth year class; having caught up to only a year below your chronological age. We are aiming to put the nine of you in for the ZAP if you are capable after just a year; but if you are not ready we shall NOT expose you to the ridicule of those who would see only your age and forget – conveniently – that you will have only had that year's education. It is however quite possible; you should remember that in most schools the first two years are aimed at finding out what children are good at and interested in with a view to choosing electives; and at easing them in to finding their feet concerning the sometimes erratic expression of their magic. Some eleven year olds have full control; some are still struggling to find it. The real work, the actual curriculum for a ZP, starts in the third year; so you have only two years real work to catch up in the year, and two years relatively gentle discovery of strengths and weaknesses and preparation and groundwork, which is also a part of the first two years at school as much as stabilising prepubescent talent and learning to direct it. Strengths will be ruthlessly pushed; weaknesses will be tenderly overcome. You can do it, you know; I have every faith in you" she added.

After all, had not her own part time students in the Tannery Lane caught up readily to be in the second even though all had needed to learn to read first?

Kole rose.

"Thank you Professor Mondschein; we will all, I'm sure, try our utmost to justify your belief in us" he said.

There were murmurs of assent.

oOoOo

Sunday was given over to the choosing of wands; Willow Black had come over to Germany at Jade's request having made a large number of wands to her usual semi-prophetic urges to make them. Having another assistant in the shop, Edwin of Cologne, now happily adopted as Edwin Ollivander, made it possible to equip another school's worth of wands. The ex werewolf was very happy to go back to his old profession and had proved very good. And the customers liked his air of medieval courtesy of speech. True he had had – as Willow put it – kittens over her puppies, not being used to babies born animagi; but he had got over it.

And he was with Willow assigning wands and dispensing advice over what kinds of spells each wand most liked to cast, which was Willow's speciality and the subject of a monograph she was writing. The children here would NOT take their wands home in the holidays; too much was at stake with this experiment to risk an accident or any incident designed to make them look bad. Being able to say that such and such a goblin could NOT have jinxed a poor innocent human child because his wand was locked in his common room locker would be a great comfort. And there were scarcely likely to be any with the sort of talent little Lilith had, who could doubtless apparate a wand out of a locked cupboard and then replace it afterwards. But then, anyone with as much talent as Lilith scarcely needed a wand to jinx anyone in the first place.

oOoOo

And Ulvik was excited enough to tell Willow that now he had a wand he would be able to do complex spells; having cast the stinging hex at Manfred wandlessly. After all he had watched Jade cast wandlessly – purely because she could rarely be bothered with a wand – and assumed this was normal for some spells.

Willow laughed.

"What, young shaver, are you one who is already casting wandlessly?"

"Only simple spells, Noble Witch" said Ulvik.

"Well, casting even simple spells without a wand puts you up there with the best; don't get cocky kid" Willow added an obligatory quote as an admonition.

Ulvik sought out Manfred.

"I say, if you haven't been casting spells without a wand I apologise for thinking you a coward" he said "I didn't realise until Frau Black told me that not everyone does, though I would have waited to duel until you had one."

Manfred sneered.

"MY parents bought me a wand before I came to school; you had to wait to be signed up as an accredited scholar because that's the law for goblins."

"Actually" said Ulvik "One becomes an accredited scholar under the law the moment the application is accepted to cover, in the future, goblin kids buying wands, especially those accepted to a school like Prince Peak. My parents thought that as so many would NOT have wands it would look posey if I did; and besides, it's not so hard to cast without one after having been shown how."

Manfred scowled; he could not deny that Ulvik HAD cast at him wandlessly so he could not call him a liar.

"It's unnatural" he said.

"It is the English way" said Ulvik "And as my mum is part English, so too now am I."

"Why didn't she send you to an English school then? Ashamed of you? Or weren't you good enough?"

"Because she wanted me to get to know and reassure the younger children she has adopted from the orphanage is why; so they have a big brother to turn to" said Ulvik "I am to decide whether to move to Prince Peak at the end of this first year; but as I have made friends I may not choose to, even for the wider range of subjects. Beside, it will be a vindication of my parents, will it not, if I can be one of those to achieve a high number of ZPs once the school has been running long enough for our age group to get to that level? Of course my friends and I might just put in the time to get a remove so we don't have to associate with people like you" he added. He had picked up a lot of theory just from chatting; Mava had picked up quite a lot even in the introductory classes, having only chosen not to work hard to push ahead like Hato and Higrith because of the prejudice of the local community; and Lurtz too had assimilated more than preparation from listening to the older ones who were being brought on. Only Klemens had not had any extra training, but bringing him on would be easy enough if they put their minds to it.

After all the second years were studying the taster subjects to the same level only as the first; it was a distinct idea.

Ulvik's cronies made murmurs of assent, as Ulvik had made sure his attempted apology was as public as his stinging hex; their agreement was as much to irritate Manfred as anything else. Really how ungracious to fail to accept an olive branch! Mava said so.

"You ARE a low type, Schliemann; Ulvik goes out of his way to save your face and you prove that you really ARE a coward and a snob; I just so despise you!"

"YOU despise me? And you a half breed? That IS fighting talk and I DO call duel!" cried Manfred, who had no doubt that he would be able to beat a little girl doubtless raised to be a prostitute and barely literate; where something in Ulvik's manner had made him draw back, he could not see how any girl of any race, let alone a despised half breed could possibly best him.

"Excuse me is it not ungentlemanly for a boy to call duel on a girl?" asked Emilia Horber.

"We already knew he was no gentleman, Emilia" laughed her friend Saxburra "But are we not all pupils together and supposed to be equal after the English fashion?"

"Quite so" said Ulvik "Name your seconds, Schliemann; and we shall find a staff member."

"I'll have gan Gautic and – and Moser" said Manfred.

"No you won't" said Klemens "You can have him, but I'm second for Mava; along with Lurtz because Ulvik is not a disinterested party and ought not to be involved. It's not my fault I'm the only other one you know because you can't make friends except when your father makes people in the neighbourhood play with you."

Manfred was looking desperately around for other humans; gan Gautic was a good enough toady but he would have liked another human for a second; and the only other human was Emilia Horber who plainly disapproved of him challenging Mava!

"I will second for you Schliemann as someone has to" said Har gan Szark in his thick Hungarian accent "It is impolite for both parties not to have appropriate seconds."

Manfred nodded curt acceptance and pretended not to hear Saxburra whisper to Emilia

"A thank you might have been appropriate; how very badly has he been brought up!"

"And I will have Klemens and Lurtz as Klemens suggested" said Mava. "So let one each of our seconds seek a grown up to sort this out."

oOoOo

The grown up that was first to hand was Anett Breuer-Bane.

"Very well; has either of you any clue about rules of duello?" she asked.

"Any wizard knows such" said Manfred.

"I haven't a clue" said Mava. Manfred sneered.

"Far better than to admit it and permit me to explain than to possibly incur penalty for pretending knowledge you do not have" said Anett who strongly suspected that Manfred thought he knew more than he did. "A piste is marked out by magical line; in a proper duel it is a raised wooden dais but the ground outside or the floor in the great hall does well enough. It's a fine overcast day so we'll take it outside; the haze means there's no end advantage from sun. The piste is twenty feet long and six feet wide; for those of you interested in Arithmancy this means it is one hundred and twenty square feet, or five factorial. You will not cover factorial numbers until half way through the term but it is significant. I will cast the necessary ritual spells that provide protection to the spectators; a solid spell barrier against whatever is cast within it. This is usually only significant where high level spells are being cast; but it is well to start with good practices. It also prevents spells being cast INTO the piste to preclude any possibility of cheating or over enthusiastic help from one participant's friends forgetting that it is cheating. The duel is ended in one of three ways; when one of the participants yields, which may be done by spoken word or by voluntarily leaving the piste; or by one participant forcing the other out of the designated area of the piste; or by one participant disabling the other such that a count may be called during which time, if the incapacitated party is able to extricate himself from his dilemma the duel continues. Once the count is up he is deemed to have lost. It is, under international rules, up to the contestants and their seconds to undo any deleterious magical effects that are not life threatening – when medical intervention is permitted – but in school rules a teacher may extricate anyone jinxed too hard to undo themselves from it. I have taught a year at Prince Peak and though many children can cast either non verbally or wandlessly, there are only a few capable of undoing themselves from a rubber ball jinx and the jellied furnunculous curse whilst under the tongue locking spell and disarmed; and of course senior students get more creative" she added. Might as well drive home that duelling was not to be taken lightly. "Naturally I hardly have to add that using any of the unforgivable curses is, well, unforgivable; it is an automatic disqualification and loss with ignominy and may lead to a term in Nurmengard. I should not think that either of you are ready yet to use such curses" she added.

Anett marked out a glowing piste with her wand in the castle courtyard and chanted to more rapidly set up the wards required.

"Take your places in the piste" she said. Both children walked through the magical barrier; and it may be said that both tensed to go through it and were surprised to feel nothing. "Wands at the ready" went on Anett raising her wand.

Manfred cast the only offensive spell he was fairly certain he knew, the stinging hex; and Mava had to twitch her wand quickly to get up the shield charm she had learned in the already established English Customs Club. She glanced at Anett.

"Herr Schliemann! You appear to have found another way to end the duel; by disqualification for blatant cheating!" Anett said furiously. Manfred's mouth dropped open.

"But you told us to start!" he said.

"I did NOT" said Anett "I told you to ready your wands; in the time honoured fashion. I had NOT given the command 'let duel commence' and you jumped the wand. I thought you implied that you understood the rules? Fraulein Sternschein was waiting for my command and she did NOT claim to know what she was doing. You are disqualified and she is the winner."

Manfred was scarlet with mortification and anger.

"Please Frau Professor Breuer, as it was a mistake on Schliemann's part I should like to win from my skill not his mistake" said Mava.

"Hmm, well, with your quick shield charm you show excellent reactions that would be high marks in any duelling contest; but I do take your point" said Anett "Herr Schliemann, I accept an honest misunderstanding; I will count you in again and this time you will wait to actually cast until I have completed the required sentence and dropped my wand."

"Yes Professor" said Manfred; there not being a lot more he could say.

"Very well; wands at the ready; let duel commence!" said Anett, bringing her wand down.

Mava put up a shield as she cast the slug vomiting curse, one that had come up in conversation as an amusing duel spell; and stopping in its tracks Manfred's pronunciation of another stinging hex. He clawed at his mouth in horror.

"Well HONESTLY" said Mava "Can't you think hard enough to use _nihil expectorandum_ to stop it?"

Manfred could not; so Mava did it. To her mind it was no point holding things up while the spell ran its natural course. Manfred glared at her. Mava beamed at him and hurled the boogie-woogie bogie bugle hex invented by Jade's sister Lilith; that Jade had shared proudly with her protégés. Manfred's nose started playing a goblin dance tune. It was no more than a nuisance level spell, though complex enough that Mava would not have been able to manage it without a wand; in fact this was the first time she had cast it successfully. It was however a distraction and moreover embarrassing.

Manfred dredged up the memory of a spell he had seen cast in Berlin.

"_Crucio!_" he yelled.

Mava fell to her knees; she had not been prepared for the intensity of that spell and her shield wavered and fell before it. She writhed on the ground, trying desperately not to scream.

Anett cancelled the wards and strode onto the piste and boxed Manfred's ears hard.

"Go to the head" she said coldly absently cancelling the goblin music his nose was still playing.

"Why? I've won, haven't I?" said Manfred "Why don't you make the count? OWW!" as she boxed his ears again.

Anett was white with anger.

"After all I told you? Won? You dirty little beast, you're disqualified and possibly expelled for THAT spell!"

Manfred goggled in incomprehension.

"What's wrong with it? I seen it used in Berlin city" he said.

"What's wrong with it? After I TOLD you that the Unforgivable curses were unforgivable? You nasty little boy!" shouted Anett. "If you saw it used in Berlin you also KNOW what it does; and that ought to have told you it was a MOST inappropriate duel level spell even if you did not know it was one of the Unforgivable curses; and if you were unclear what they were, you should have ASKED; like you should have asked about the procedure of starting a duel if you did not know! Now go to the head before I lose my temper with you, you horrid, stupid little brat"

Manfred fled; and knocked on the Head's door.

He was busy explaining that he did not understand why Frau Professor Breuer was so angry that he had just used a spell he had seen another use when Anett stormed in and told Wulf concisely what had happened.

"Herr Schliemann" said Wulf coldly "Did the person on whom the spell was cast counter it? If you did not see any effects, whilst it is most irresponsible to use a spell for which you do not know the effects it is a mitigation."

"Of course he didn't counter, it was a goblin who had been insolent and he fell down and writhed about screaming; I wanted to do the same to that smug brat who's nothing special, she's only a whore's brat!" said Manfred, who had quite worked himself up into a rage to he extent that he lost his suave front that he projected to adults.

"So" said Wulf "You meant to cause such pain as the cruciatus curse causes. I will have to consider whether to break your wand and expel you or whether to give you another chance; and that will depend much on you. You will reside in the sick bay for the rest of the day and reflect on the perfidy of trying to cause ultimate pain to another being, and on the concept that such is a spell of the likes of Odessa. Who would, incidentally, have cast it cheerfully on you for being impudent. The impudence being to carry a wand when you're not to their mind a proper pure blood wizard. Frau Professor Breuer will escort you to the sick bay."

"But – but you can't expel me! We haven't even had any schooling yet!" cried Manfred.

"You should perhaps have thought of that before using Unforgivable curses and expressing your intolerant and nasty views" said Wulf coldly. "If by this evening you are understanding the enormity of what you have done and will give Fraulein Sternschein a full and unconditional apology I may reconsider. But even so you had better NOT come to my notice again with bigotry as the offence; we can do without the likes of bigots in this school, whatever their race or background."

Anett saw the boy to the sick bay under the tender mercies of Vasilica Seregin; who installed him in a crisp hospital bed and left him to his own unpleasant company with a minimum of speech. Manfred was a frightened child.

His bigotry was based on what he had heard at home and was of the usual unthinking kind; and he had not thought through the consequences of using a spell that really caused excruciating pain. He had laughed at the goblin's agony when he had seen the spell cast; because he had never before had to think about goblins as people. Now the looks of disgust and loathing cast on him by the rest of the class, even a drawing back by Didi gan Gautic was humiliating and horrifying; though not as horrifying as the idea of being expelled and losing a chance at education. He sobbed.

When Wulf came to him he was if not contrite at least very sorry for himself and expressed himself willing to apologise.

Wulf regarded him.

"As I feel that you are only ready to do so in order that you not be expelled, I will impose another punishment" he said "You may decide to choose expulsion instead; I will give you free choice. So that you know what you are apologising for, I will hold the cruciatus curse on YOU for the five seconds you held it on Fraulein Sternschein so you may know what it is like."

"I accept" said Manfred, certain that he could take it better than a silly girl or any goblin.

As he writhed screaming he discovered how wrong he was.

And Wulf put an arm around him after he had stopped the spell.

"Manfred, I hope NOW you understand a little better why that is one of the Unforgivable curses" he said "I applied to the ministry for permission to use it and explained the circumstances; because I believe that deep down, although you saw the man in pain in Berlin you did not really understand; until you have known pain you cannot understand it. Know that if you EVER use that spell again you WILL be summarily expelled; if I ever learn that you use it after you have left school I will hunt you down and kill you. Unforgivable MEANS unforgivable."

"It – it was TERRIBLE!" cried Manfred.

"It is; and now you see why talking glibly about it is not acceptable" said Wulf. "Some of us have trained ourselves to take it without screaming – too much pride – as I hear young Sternschein did. I give her honour for that. Now if I were you, after apologising to her, you should lay very low and try to learn more about people from observation, not from the warped, inbuilt prejudices that prevail in society. Off you run; you have time to apologise in the common room before bedtime and then you may go to sleep with a clearer conscience."

oOoOo

Mava gasped when Manfred admitted that he now knew what the curse was like as the head had cast it on him.

"Is he allowed to?" asked Emilia timidly.

"He'd have applied for permission" said Ulvik.

Manfred nodded.

"So he told me" he said "I – I expected to be able to take it. I was wrong; I guess I really am sorry to use that level of spell."

"Accepted" said Mava. Perhaps now Manfred MIGHT be less of a pain!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Monday commenced for the first years with metalwork; if nothing else, as Jade said, the dimmer ones might at least have a practical skill with a limited certificate of competency. Not that Jade was so pessimistic as to think that any keen enough to have an education would pass up the hard work to get at least a ZAP; only pupils who had gone to school for generation on generation without thinking about it as a privilege were so profligate as to fail to put in their best. And there were plenty of those to whom she had spoken in the communities where she had property who were turning down schooling for a desire not to mix with those of other races or simply because they did not want to have to put in the effort; and for some of the rougher elements because schooling was for stuck up sissies.

And that was their loss.

Ulvik knew most of the goblins who had decided to pass on education and had described their intellect in less than flattering terms; the ones who would taunt Viva and Abert and Ktell as part-breds, saying that they needed the sissy schooling to be a better class whore and better pimps. They would learn, however, in the English Custom Club how to fight without wand or weapon to show how sissy they were; it was to be a deliberate policy to introduce the English Kung Fu. And several of the teachers were most skilled; indeed Jade and Leo put on an exhibition fight that first morning which had children and adults alike gasping.

"You ought to see us when we do a no holds barred wand duel as a body contact sport" grinned Leo.

"They aren't ready yet for some of the more esoteric English customs" said Jade.

It certainly made Professor Black-Weasley's pupils remarkably attentive and respectful of him; at least those who belonged to the ECC, which was by no means all. Manfred Schliemann might have had a sharp lesson about assumptions and people, but he still laughed scorn at the idea of voluntarily getting up early as did his dutiful satellite Didi. Har gan Szark liked his bed too; and so did Milhd gan Urric, though her twin Saeyth was keen. And Emilia Horber may only have gone because her friend Saxburra did; but she was convinced by the end of the first session, if rather tired!

As it happened all the third, all the second but Delfine Schrotter – who declared it a waste of time for an intellectual – and all the upper first bar four of the orphans turned up. The two orphans who did attend were Magda and Biirta, about whom Jade had changed her mind concerning educating; and Magda especially was keen to learn how to defend her virtue, having no father to protect so beautiful a girl as she was.

Ulvik enjoyed their introduction to metalwork; he was no better and no worse than anyone else but it was fun. It was a shame that Lurtz seemed to be unhandy with the tools; and an irony that normally disorganised Ligern seemed to be able to organise himself and do rather well. The class disaster was Elva Nagel, the half goblin seamstress's daughter who hammered her own thumb after having made more of a mess than a shaped item; for Leo had prepared some goblin silver and started the class by having each pupil get the feel of working it in shaping it into a simple bowl. Elva burst into quiet tears and buried her head in her hands.

"Here let me see…. _Episkayo!_" said Leo. "All better now; why are you still howling like that damp French fey I can't remember the name of?

"It hurts my head so; even more than peering at close work" whispered Elva "I t-try not to show it when I am sewing to help mama but it is so bad today!"

Leo tilted her chin and gazed into her eyes.

"Oh, yes; I see the problem" he said "Hold on a moment; ah yes, that's fixed it. Headache better?"

Elva stared at him, a big smile spreading across her face.

"Oh professor! I never had it completely go away before!" she cried.

"Shouldn't come back either" said Leo "Nasty business migraines; need a ticklish little bit of transfiguration. If you'd told Frau Professor Von Strang before you started she'd have sorted you sooner; not a problem for anyone who's studied it to a reasonable level. And transfiguration is really very much her thing. Still! Better now; I'll get you another piece, you've been hammering half blind and making a bit of a fist of it, better to start again."

Elva thanked him; and if her bowl was not among the better efforts at least she was able to complete it.

"Theory notes now everyone" said Leo "Goblin steel is made of two parts steel and one part silver; goblin silver has the proportions the other way around. BUT they only form the proper amalgam for the magic that is put into the making of them, which is one of the skills you will be learning. In the same way, combining goblin steel and goblin silver is NOT the same – though it seems as though it should be – as combining equal quantities of steel and silver. The extra ingredient is the ritual. There is that of the potioneer in the forgemaster, who combines his ingredients and the extra magical powders and ritual stirs. And there is much that the chanter may do to improve the quality of the metal as he hammers it by using a rhythm designed to draw out the strengths of the metal. This is why even the best muggle metalcrafters, with all their understanding of how metal is made on a level far below the ability of the eye to see cannot forge metals as well as those versed in goblin techniques because goblins have been using a specie of chanting in the forge strokes long after humans forgot the skill of chanting, before it was revived by Herr Professor Snape. Only the best can make the best; only the best arithmancers can forge the best tools or weapons or clockwork devices. But then, that is the way of many subjects that find that all subjects are interrelated. I am going to give each of you a small wooden hammer with a leather end; the which is for the convenience of the eardrums of others as you do your homework. The sheets I have passed out have a beat upon them that will tie in a self sharpening charm to a knife and next week you're going to try that; in the meantime you will practise the beat. Look at your sheets while I beat it to demonstrate; because this is written in standard goblin forge notation."

He proceeded to beat the pattern necessary and had his class beat it through until the bell rang.

Ulvik dragged his satellites to see him after class; and Leo grinned to hear the young goblin explaining that of course the homework also meant they were starting to learn goblin beat measures. No flies on that one!

"Sir, as you are an English Professor, have you studied Geomancy in the English schools?" asked Ulvik.

"Only to OWL – ZP level" said Leo "I had to drop something! I got an 'O' grade however at OWL."

"Please sir, can you teach a voluntary class like the comparative magic class will be? We're attending that us four and we'd like to try geomancy too" said Ulvik.

Leo was startled.

"Well I don't see why not" he said cautiously "I know Frau Professor Von Strang has studied it no further than I – though of course she got an 'O' too; I don't think she's heard of other grades where her own are concerned!" he grinned. "And that makes her and me the most qualified geomancers here! You're the would be marauders, aren't you? I was a marauder at school so I applaud the industry. Very well, I'll ask it to be timetabled as a voluntary class on Sunday afternoon; precludes the upper first I'm afraid but they have more to worry about than esoteric subjects like geomancy until they're up to scratch. Though I believe two of them have studied it already…. Saturday afternoon? Comparative is to be in the morning. Only…..wait, you don't want to miss out on flying and quidditch, after tea on Saturdays is better."

"THANK you sir!" chorused the would be marauders.

They must hurry to go on to their next lesson now, with barely time for a sip of water and for Mava to go to the toilet; but her friends waited for her and they fell into the Arithmancy classroom just ahead of Jade and were able to sit down just in time to rise for her.

Ulvik enjoyed Arithmancy; Jade began with a brief talk that Arithmancy was the basis of almost all magic from the number and direction of stirs of a potion, to a complex chant designed to break a curse that could kill a man as powerful as Professor Dumbledore if not thus checked. And there was also, she told them, the calculation of a best time for any ritual whether that was a curse breaking ritual or merely a wedding.

"Though I have to say" said Jade dryly "I favour the timing of a wedding to be calculated before the first baby arrives; I don't hold a lot with the use of numerology to choose partners and such either, but I'll teach you how to do it; using numerology for combining over a ritual DOES have significance. In affairs of the heart logic has very little to do with it, and in my mind nor should it and fortunately you lot are too young to giggle over one of my favourite rants. I AM a great believer in getting timing right; but numerology is only one means to calculate, and is all too often the only one used by half baked idiots who write for half baked magazines because they can't manage more Arithmancy than Numerology and kind of lost the plot half way through their first term of schooling which is why they have to work for silly publications on the witch's page. I'll be taking part in a ritual that has to take place on the winter solstice to minimise the power of certain dark creatures we are planning to diminish; THAT has to do with them being at low ebb of power at midwinter. However, if you turn to page three in your text books after the drivel about finding the best marriage partner you will find the chart of Pythagorean Numerology; the standard numerology chart. We shall study other forms later but for now I want you to write down the value of each letter in your given name; and add it up. I'll give you a few minutes to do that, then we'll move on to the next stage."

Nobody seemed to have any real trouble, but Ulvik found himself ahead; and for interest sake wrote down the name 'Ulric' that Jade had told him was the human name from which his name had come.

It was rather interesting.

Ulvik had added up to twenty one; that by reading ahead he found reduced to three by adding the numerals together again; but Ulric was made up entirely of threes and nines and added to twenty seven; which was itself three nines; or even three times three times three. And three and nine were good numbers. Twenty seven moreover reduced to nine itself. He realised he was being addressed.

"It adds primarily to twenty one so reduces to three" he said hastily hoping he was answering the question that had been asked.

"A good answer save that you've jumped ahead a little bit, Herr Von Luytens" said Jade acidly "FAR be it for me to interrupt your enjoyment of the text book, but I did hope that you might be listening a little more closely to my pearls of wisdom when you have the opportunity to hear them and might read ahead on your own time. You might as well explain to the class why you reduced to three."

"Once you have a number from adding up the scores of each letter it's probably in double figures" said Ulvik "And so you add those two figures together to get a subsequent score; if this is still in double figures you add them together until you get a single figure because Pythagoras defined a test of personality based on a single figure reduction of the name with additional data around the birthdate and…..shutting up now, ma'am."

"Quite correct Herr Von Luytens" said Jade "And perhaps the rest of you would like to calculate a reduced number and look up on table two in your books, at the bottom of page three, what this indicates about yourselves."

Ulvik surreptitiously did his friends; and found that Lurtz and Klemens both reduced to the lucky number of seven; Mava to one, indicating individualism and aggressiveness; singularly appropriate! Both the M and the V of her name were worth four, giving her a four-one-four-one; he wondered if the patterns of numbers in names WERE significant. He raised his hand.

"Herr Von Luytens?" asked Jade

"Professor, is there anything significant where the numbers make a pattern or are limited in score before adding them up?" he asked.

"It is possible" said Jade "Specifics?"

Ulvic flushed.

"Two cases" he said "Mava – four-one-four-one; she reduces via ten to one, individuality and aggression but four too is creation; she is imaginative."

"Well reasoned; names aren't always chosen well for people but sometimes they do seem to fit. I should have said that a pattern was more a thing to look at as something fortuitous than to go by old Pythagoras' occasionally dodgy personality readings. What was the other case?"

Ulvik shifted a little embarrassed.

"You told me that my name was derived from Ulric; I worked that out and it's all nines and threes and reduces via twenty seven to nine" he said in a rush.

"Whoh! That IS interesting!" said Jade. "Well I presume you are considering the change of name accordingly; think too on the situation of the other variant of the name, Ulfric, giving you a six in the middle and thus reducing via thirty three to six. Ulvik is still three however and is from three sevens. Much to ponder; and changing a name is never to be taken lightly. Tom Marvolo Riddle, better known to the world as Voldemort, changed his name; he took his new name from an anagram of his real name and made it 'I am Lord Voldemort' which in English is a precise anagram and therefore is numerologically identical. Both Voldemort and Lord Voldemort reduce to seven. But then too so did his full name; he was just a poseur. There is more to names than numerology; but tying chosen dates to the numerology of your name can make sense. What you are doing here is of course somewhat simplified but it's an interesting study. All right; for homework I want you all to pick a name you would have LIKED to have been called and work it out; and see if the chart makes the personality trend closer to how you would like to be; just for fun. If you feel keen you may do your middle names and surnames too, don't bother with the 'gan' part, those of you that have them; like 'Von' they are relatively extraneous. And by the by I shall NOT believe anyone who picks a name like Melchisidec just for the fun of a long name, nor Jo just for a short one!" she added.

The class laughed as the bell went and Jade dismissed them.

Well at least they could all add up – or at least none had sighed heavily. Always a good start!

oOoOo

Enchanting followed Arithmancy; and that was with their form mistress Professor Nistor. She explained that some things people called charms were in fact not charms but enchantments – like the cushioning charms on brooms. Enchantments tied a spell to an object; it could not be dispelled with a spell that was used to remove all spell effects – such as teachers did at the end of recreational duels – because it had been allied with a permanency enchantment. Some enchantments used a chant to tie them to an object; and enchanted items could be used by anybody, even in some cases muggles.

This created a stir, but Rodica quieted them with a wave of the hand.

"Not all by any means" she said "Only someone of magical talent can get a broom to fly; but wizarding tents, for example, that are much larger inside than out, are still so for muggles. As muggles can enter other forms of wizarding space; that are enchantments requiring some considerable ritual. A charm is cast using an incantation; enchanting requires a level of ritual on top of that. Some charms wear off over time; enchantments have temporal durability. The metalworking you have begun uses ritual in the crafting not dissimilar in its basics to enchanting; if you are good at one you are often good at the other. People who are poor at the raw production of power in charms are not necessarily going to be poor at enchanting; because the ritual means that the power is channelled, as in chanting, through the ritual in a slower, and often more controlled way. It is not so versatile in some respects as chanting; but it may be a very powerful subject. The subject also includes the manufacture of some items that fall within its purview such as wands; you will look at wand woods in Herbology and further in my class. Magic pens also fall within this; and we shall look at how some items take particular enchantments more easily; there is a magical law which states that any point of similarity makes casting a spell easier, and that is true in Transfigurations and other subjects as much as in enchanting. Such that a Phoenix feather used for a quill pen would readily take an enchantment to erase what had been written on a used parchment and replace it with what you wished to write or indeed as a self inking pen; a Fwooper quill might be able to be given a lecture then write it up later. Herr Von Luytens?"

"Please Frau Professor is that assimilative correlation?" asked Ulvik, having raised his hand.

"Good grief boy! Yes it is, but you're not supposed to have come across that term for another five or six years" said Rodica, taken aback.

"I'm sorry Frau Professor; I heard it in relation to transfiguration" said Ulvik.

"Well I suppose you would…. I doubt you'd get extra marks for knowing it, but if it makes you happy, that is indeed the correct term" said Rodica. "I once had a golden pheasant quill that added up figures for me until my Arithmancy teacher confiscated it; AND used it. She wasn't very good" she added reminiscently. "Equally, fur lined slippers take a warming enchantment better than leather ones. What you will be doing for your preparation will be writing down everything you can think of that is an enchanted item and, where appropriate, what makes the enchantment correlate well to the item enchanted. In the meanwhile I shall show you the ritual to enchant a hairbrush into a self brushing brush; it requires knowledge of a basic grooming charm which I will teach you since you have not yet had a charms class, though some of you might know it… Herr Schliemann, Herr Moser, good, Fraulein Mittwoch, three of you? Excellent."

"Mittwoch only knows it because she's training to be a whore like her mother" said Didi.

He dangled suddenly in the air with too many legs and a segmented body.

"Not precisely racism, Herr gan Gautic, but the bigotry is the same thing" said Rodica serenely. "You will miss the practical I fear and will have to make notes from someone else's to keep up; before the end of the lesson you may apologise to Fraulein Mittwoch."

The woodlouse wriggled disconsolately.

Didi DID apologise to Viva after he had been restored to his normal form; but neither Rodica nor Viva was in the least convinced of any sincerity in it; he merely wanted to look better in the eyes of a teacher.

Rodica wondered if it was because he was a goblin of some wealth that he felt precarious in a human dominated society and so felt a need to put down any who were in his eyes below him.

Viva just thought he was a nasty little git.

Ulvik decided he was not going to get involved with trying to force understanding on the likes of Manfred and Didi as the staff seemed to have their measure; unless they had a go at any of his particular friends. He liked Viva and Abert well enough, and Elva who was at least able to boast of a mother who earned good money without being a whore; as could Mava now; he had been one of the few who had parents who had not told him not to play with half breeds. It was worthy of note that in general, those whose parents had not made such a fuss were the ones who also sent their children here; that tolerance was rewarded with education. He went to seek out Jade.

"Mum, is it a circle that can be broken?" he asked.

"You're as bad as me for starting in the middle" said Jade "Is WHAT a circle that can be broken?"

"Ignorance" said Ulvik "Those who are intolerant kind of lay all sorts of ills at the doors of half breeds and I guess other races and they refuse education so they stay ignorant and I guess will teach their children to feel the same. CAN it be broken?"

Jade pulled a face.

"Honestly? In all cases? I doubt it. Some people are just wilfully and determinedly ignorant. They positively wallow in a gleefully uninformed bigotry and don't want to be troubled with any facts because they've already made up their minds. Mostly – and this is born out by statistics – they are the poor who have enough to look down on the prostitutes and beggars but not enough leisure to do anything but resent the rich with a dull acceptance and pass their resentment to those who are different. They however are not the DANGEROUS ignorant; the dangerous ignorant are the lower middle classes who have enough leisure and just enough intelligence and learning to make trouble. A little learning can be a dangerous thing; for it means the promulgation of half baked, half understood ideas. THEY are the ones we need to educate more fully and integrate. The type like, I'm afraid, Didi gan Gautic."

Ulvik sighed.

"Oh dear, am I supposed to try to befriend him and work on him?"

"Ulvik, do you think HE would befriend you whatever effort you took?" asked Jade.

"No" said Ulvik.

"Then you'd be wasting your time" said Jade "He nailed his colours to the mast of the wealthiest looking human child in the class – yes I DO know everything that goes on it's what I pay myself wages for – and having then found out that you are a wealthy well connected boy he can't change; not that having a toady is much fun. I expect his father told him to find a human who would later be a patron, rather than urging the poor brat to learn all he could so that he might be the one being a patron. The French are not as socially advanced as the Swiss. Accepting the idea of goblins doing well without patrons is a little radical for them. The trouble is there are two countries in France; Paris – and the peasantry. Paris has forward thinking people; everywhere else is almost as backward as Germany. Wulf is planning on having a word with gan Gautic; a final warning. I'll not have the rest of you upset however much his father is subsidising the poorest by paying for his son."

"He's such a drip" said Ulvik "He isn't BAD; just stupid."

"Alas, the definition of too many" said Jade "Now cut along or you'll be late for Mittagessen."

Ulvik cut along. Besides he wanted to note down a couple of things he had thought of as enchanted items; exploding snap cards and ordinary playing cards and wizarding chess, wonders of luxury he had never experienced before mum and dad had taken him in!

oOoOo

Ulvik enjoyed the noisy midday meal and went happily out to the greenhouses to study a single period of Herbology before double Potions.

Frau Professor Breuer welcomed them.

"I know there is at least one of you who is knowledgeable about growing things; I will ask you to bear with me for now. Later you may, if you feel so inclined, pull away from the others but be patient for now that many of the town bred pupils have never seen a growing plant that was not a weed or perhaps the odd pot plant" she said.

"If you please, ma'am" said Leofa "I do not know anything about WHY we take orders from our elders over what to do, I know some country lore and when to sow certain crops but that's all" she added. "The Frau Baronin has introduced a program of making and improving better manure but my pa hopes I can learn why we do what she tells us so we can do better. And I know how to shovel that because one of my chores is cleaning out the animals."

Anett smiled.

"Well, despite mutters of horror from some of the class, manure is a central part of Herbology. Too much is worse than none at all; plants can be killed with kindness. Rather like you being forced to eat all the meals in a week at one sitting; and not being allowed to stop eating. Even eleven year old boys would run out of steam and start to feel ill I suspect."

"We'd do our best, Professor!" quipped Torschik gan Schenik.

"Oh so do the plants; and they grow tall and outgrow their own strength and die of it" said Anett. "Likewise water; all plants need water – but if they are over watered they will rot. Today we are going to commence by learning to recognise some different plants that you will be working with in the greenhouses; including identifying two plants that look very similar – but where one is benign, the other can be deadly to the unwary; and I do NOT merely mean by poison. Here you see the harmless flitterbloom; and over there" she pointed "Is the Devil's Snare, which entangles and chokes the life out of any body moving too close to it, then digesting the nutrients of its victim. As you will be passing through the greenhouses, although you will not be yet working with Devil's Snare it is imperative to recognise it; and to know that heat and flame deter it. Flailing wildly makes it more determined to subdue you; if caught stay absolutely still and if you cannot reach your own wand call on a friend to cast bluebell flames on it; which spell I will teach you. Nobody SHOULD be in the greenhouses without an adult until you are older; but I know what children are like, and if you are on mischief bent, I WILL take a dim view if I catch up with a trespasser, but also I advise you to always come with a companion. Devil's Snare is NOT the most dangerous plant I keep. Just to cheer you up" she said.

"Please Frau Professor, I thought it was about just growing plants; must we then deal with such horrors?" asked Emilia.

"Unfortunately some of the dangerous plants produce ingredients imperative for the potioneer's art" said Anett "Which is why you must learn to deal with them primarily; and to learn to recognise types of plant, so if you embark on a career of exploring darkest Brazil for plants that are of interest or use you may deduce that a plant growing in such and such soil type, behaving in so and so a manner will perhaps behave like another you have seen because it functions in the same way. We give you a grounding for whatever career you choose; of necessity that must be broad."

Anett showed them how to identify the differences between flitterbloom and Devil's Snare, absently shooing the aggressive plant back with a few bluebell flames from her wand when it reached past her pointer to try to grab for her wrist. Then she showed them a selection of other plants to draw and label; and then the lesson was over.

"Your homework is to write me a short paragraph on the differences between flitterbloom and devil's snare so I shall know you were taking notice in class and understood me" said Anett before dismissing them.

"Homework from every class so far; how will we cope? It'll take hours out of our evening!" complained Didi.

"Of course we have homework from every lesson; how else will the Professors know what we understood or not?" said Ulvik, forgetting his resolve not to bother to talk to the boy "And as I understand it we're being given really small amounts of easy homework to get us eased in; after all we are only in school from nine in the morning until sixteen o'clock; not like a real working day of seven o'clock until seventeen or even eighteen that most people are accustomed to do, AND we have long breaks, a whole hour for Mittagessen and fifteen minutes in the morning also."

"Well I don't know anyone forced into such a long day's work" said Didi.

"Then the French are as lazy as I have heard" said Klemens "Even human workers work from eight until seventeen you know."

"To be fair to gan Gautic – which I hate doing" said Saeyth " – Herr Gerecht, who is in charge of the tannery says that much is wrong with the working practices in Germany because they are lackadaisical and inefficient. With the new techniques the Frau Baronin Professor has shown him, the production has gone up and the need to work such long hours has gone down. And Herr Gerecht has too been to see English factories and he says they are much more efficient and have a happy workforce who are not overtired all the time. Ulvik's mum is doing good for us all."

"Well how come HE talks about such long hours then?" asked Didi.

"Because I have been neglectful in my duty by not asking mum and dad about working practises and based what I said on what I knew before being adopted" said Ulvik, feeling foolish but determined not to try to lie his way out of it. "I shall learn more. But even so, gan Gautic, such IS true for the parents of many."

"And in the fields one works the hours of light" said Leofa "From four in the morning in summer all day long; and in the winter, even so one must rise at five to see to the stock. In harvest one works sixteen hours a day. That is the way it has always been; and if there are spells to speed that up then I shall not feel guilty about being in school while my family labour because I shall find ways to make their labour easier in the future."

Didi gan Gautic subsided in horror!

Besides they had to hurry to get to the potions dungeon or risk being marked tardy; and reports had circulated that Professor Rebet was very stern!

oOoOo

There was no risk that any student would have the wrong cauldron in this school; they all used school cauldrons. It made life easier to buy in a job lot and then those who were good at potions might be advised to purchase better ones should they wish to take the subject further or looked as though having a better cauldron was worth while.

"The art of the potion is a subtle one, too long despised by the unsubtle Germans who were also so unsubtle as to support the rubbish spouted by Odessa" said Herr Rebet. "One may brew a potion to undertake almost any effect; and though it may take longer than casting a raw charm, the effects are usually more subtle, perhaps longer lasting; some effects may only be achieved by a potion. In the simmering cauldron one might brew love or hate, life or death, even luck, why are you sniggering and pulling faces boy?"

"I'm just thinking sir that you don't want the half breeds learning to brew love potions sir because they'll use it to snare decent folk" said Didi. He had heard that this professor had taught at Durmstrang and was therefore probably an important man and worth making up to. A professor from so prestigious a school could surely not like having such low born brats in his class!

For the second time that day he wriggled in mid air as a gigantic woodlouse.

"FAScinating as I may find it to know your true opinion of my wife and our children, boy, I also find such an attitude really MOST disgusting" said Ihor Rebet in a soft, dangerous voice. "I left Durmstrang because I do not like the attitudes still prevailing there; I do NOT intend to brook the same blood snobbery here! I am glad that I took the decision to send my daughter to Prince Peak so that she need not be in a class with her father teaching; though I rather fancy had you expressed your loathsome views to her she would have hung one on you as the English so picturesquely put it. You are an excrescence, a putrescence and a flatulent oaf. You will write out for me thirty times by Friday 'I am a disgusting little boy with no manners' as well as tendering me a written apology for your comments about my family. You may listen to my lesson too in that form; I find it more peaceful that you have insufficient mouth parts to talk. You must hope another permits you to copy their notes. The rest of you; we shall begin with some lessons on cauldron etiquette and practices; and I shall check that each of you knows left from right which is not, alas, a universal skill even by the age of eleven; it IS important."

Ulvik enjoyed the lesson; he was one of those who received praise for the stirring technique they were learning first. Manfred Schliemann starred here and was much praised; and looked sour that Viva received as much approbation. Emilia too was good and Abert got a rather waspish comment that he might be surnamed the son of a cauldron but unfortunately was NOT a chip off the old block.

Abert grinned unrepentantly and said he must then take after his mother else he had not been here at all because her contraceptive draught had failed and added – which stopped him getting a burst of irritable Ukrainian – that he would try hard.

Their homework was to write up the method of brewing the boil cure potion for which they would pick bubotubers in their next herbology class; in the hopes that having written it out they would not, as Ihor said, be too much at sea when they came to actually brew it next time. He released Didi – who fell to the floor with a loud THUMP – and waved a hand of dismissal.

Didi fled.

He had too an interview with the head after school that he was NOT looking forward to.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Wulf spoke seriously to Didi; explaining that when he had been teaching at Prince Peak school there had been a Swiss boy, a goblin of good family, who had insulted the half goblin children in the school, the daughters of a married couple who worked in the Swiss ministry; and had proceeded to refuse to turn up to the lessons of one of the Professors, a half goblin woman, and had accused her parents of miscegenation for their marriage.

"This lady, who was married to one of the other Prince Peak teachers, is one of the aristocracy in England" said Wulf "For her active role against Voldemort; like her husband, Professor David Fraser, Headmaster of Hogwarts school and member of the Grand Council. Which shows you that in socially advanced countries at least the race of a person, including their mix of race, is immaterial. Here in Germany, most half breed children are born as a result of rape by some wicked person, and this can be no fault of the unfortunate mother; nor of the child. And such unfortunate women often get FORCED into prostitution as do their children; because of people like you who are so bigoted. So people like YOU make such women be prostitutes; does that make you proud?"

"I haven't done anything of the sort!" Didi was indignant.

"Oh but you have – or you are in the process of doing so" said Wulf "YOU are making assumptions; YOU are trying to force these children into the roles YOU perceive for them; while THEY are trying to better themselves with education and rise above the roles nasty, small minded little people try to push them into. The boy at Prince Peak was expelled for his contumely, by the way; and I would rather expel you than have the education of those striving to better themselves be upset by one nasty little mouth; and, moreover, before you get to take a transfigurations class with Professor Bane I want to make sure you are not going to insult HIM for being a quarter goblin and accuse HIS parents of miscegenation; and too I need to check whether you are going to accuse Professor Breuer Bane of being a whore for having married Professor Bane. I have got a report from Professor Rebet that you have insulted HIS family already; and I will NOT have my staff insulted the way Ellie Devlin Fraser was insulted; so either you give me an undertaking that you behave in a civilised way or I shall be sending you to the sick bay now, to be collected by your father. Professor Rebet tells me he anticipates a written apology from you; and he had better get it."

Didi was horrified.

"I – I did not know there were respectable part bred goblins; of COURSE I would not insult them! I had no idea that Professor Rebet was married to a goblin or part goblin; I did not think he would be allowed to teach at Durmstrang if so! But – but people from Berlin know these children of whom I was speaking and – and Abert gan Kessel, which is no sort of name, BOASTED of being a bastard!"

"I think you'll find" said Wulf, dryly, "That he boasted that at least his was purely an accident of birth and was not the kind of bastardy that is used as an insult; implying that another boy might be thus insulted. And frankly I can quite see that a lad who feels sensitive about the circumstances of his birth and defensive about his little mother – who has by the way made life HARDER for herself in order to keep her child instead of dumping him on an orphanage – might speak aggressively about his situation. I don't think you mean to be a nasty child, Herr gan Gautic; but you have a few unkind preconceptions. You should instead, if you hope to be a leader of the goblin community in France for having an education, be one who sets an example – by helping those who want to better themselves and rise above their humble beginnings. Even if all you can manage to do to help is to stop making unpleasant remarks. I think you are perhaps afraid of public opinion if you are civil to those traditionally outside society; here at school public opinion is against you for not being civil to other pupils. You have been in serious trouble twice already over this and it is only the first day! Those who are here are those who have taken the step to set aside prejudice in favour of education; those who are forward thinking and keen to learn. You are keen to learn as you applied first for Prince Peak; and believe me, had you been rude to the half breed children there for your misconceptions you WOULD have been out on your ear; Professor Severus Snape is not so even tempered as I, especially not since he had had this trouble already from the Swiss boy. You will get as good an education here as you are prepared to work for; not perhaps as good as at Prince Peak yet, but as several of the staff have already taught AT Prince Peak you will come close – IF you are prepared to put in the time. And IF you are prepared not to make such a nuisance of yourself that you are asked to leave. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir" said Didi. "I – I will try not to feel outraged that those of such a background must mix with respectable folk and tell myself that they are but trying to be respectable; which is a good thing. And – and I shan't say anything. And I shall write the apology for Professor Rebet straight away because I did not mean to insult him."

"Good lad" said Wulf.

Well hopefully HE would settle down; the idea that part-bred people could BE respectable was a revelation to him it appeared; and at least he might learn to be less judgemental. Well, so long as the silly boy stopped making trouble, that was all that anyone could ask for.

oOoOo

Didi was quiet in the dormitory that night; then just before lights out said,

"I say, gan Kessel, it's a good thing you're doing, to better yourself. I guess I may have been out of line."

Abert bit of a sharp retort of 'you bet you were' and managed instead a dignified,

"Yes you have been; but a big man can admit he's been wrong. Like Ulvik admitting he didn't know how things could change for workers. If you want to say sorry to the girls tomorrow I'll stand by you."

"It's also a big man who can accept an apology not throw it back in a man's face" said Ulvik quietly, thinking of how Manfred had reacted when he had apologised for calling duel. This may not have been much of an apology but it was well to encourage Didi; mum and dad would expect it. He was never going to like Didi but it would be nice if the boy was harmless enough not to DISlike.

"Yeah" agreed Klemens, looking at Manfred.

Manfred flushed and scowled.

"I didn't throw back his apology there wasn't nothing to apologise for; just letting him know I HAD got a wand because my parents outfitted me fully" he said.

"Anything" said Ulvik.

"What?"

"You should say there wasn't ANYTHING to apologise for; not there wasn't nothing to apologise for; it's a double negative" said Ulvik, glad of his mother's coaching. It was a small and spiteful victory to score over Manfred in the matter of correct speech; and Ulvik revelled in it. "Moreover, saying 'what?' instead of 'excuse me?' or 'Pardon?' is somewhat ill bred. You DO pride yourself on being a cut above the rest of us; it would be more convincing if you spoke as though you were" he added.

Manfred flushed embarrassed.

"Pedant" said Torschik equably.

"My ma was extremely particular; and mum is quite tight about it too" said Ulvik. "Though her pet one is using 'may' to ask about doing something not 'can'. And mum CAN dissolve into a vernacular that would make a sailor blench if she has to, usually when she's dealing with idiots in the ministry."

"Oh about all of them that work there then" laughed Torschik.

"How many people DO work in the ministry?" asked Lurtz idly.

"About half" quipped Torschik and Ulvik together.

"Hundreds" said Klemens "If you want a serious answer, Lurtz, though I shan't say their silly comment isn't true. Though I think the crew from Durmstrang pared them down a lot when they were dealing with Odessa."

"Mum says that the problem is that there are dozens of little ministry offices spread all over the country; which is sensible in the respect that different areas have different problems and need people who understand the local situation; only they never talk to each other and if their jurisdiction overlaps at all you'd think they were in rivalry, not working for the same population" said Ulvik.

"And if your house was burning down you'd have to fill in several forms before the Ministry of Care and Control will send a team to put it out" said Klemens. "If there was less paperwork and more work it would be a sight better."

"I can't believe you kids are talking POLITICS after lights out" said the voice of Professor Rebet at the door "Did you fail to hear the lights out bell?"

"I'm afraid so sir" said Ulvik. "Sorry."

"Well, well, this time I shall let the lot of you off with a caution" said Ihor "Herr gan Gautic, thank you for your letter of apology; I wished to let you know that I accepted it so you might sleep easy. I fear I only just looked in my pigeon hole. Good night, the lot of you."

There were choruses of 'good night sir!' and nine little boys settled down to sleep as they doused their lumos charms.

oOoOo

Ihor had only just looked in his pigeon hole because his baby daughter was teething and he had been cuddling her until she went to sleep. Well there would be another child his Nefrina would be growing up with, Anett was now just visibly pregnant with hers and Mortimer's first child, due in December; in a few years time the age difference of a few months would be meaningless and by the time they went to Prince Peak together it would be nothing. And nice for them to start together; however fair and unracist the place was supposed to be, Ihor still worried. As he worried for Zhenga, his step daughter. Still, she had been full of the friends she had made at the party hosted by Von Frettchen; and she had hardly been at school herself a day, he must not expect a letter from her. Severus had said that first years were encouraged to, which translated as chivvied into, writing letters home at the end of their first week to let their parents know how they were settling in, since the ungrateful little beast that was the average eleven year old tended to forget their poor parents worrying if they had settled in so well that being bent on mischief was more important than writing letters.

And two of the children in her class were the two young goblins Jade had been nurturing gently ostensibly as servants in Durmstrang who were nice seeming children; and another was Severus' own ward. Doubtless Zhenga would be just fine!

oOoOo

Tuesday commenced with chanting; and Ulvik beamed at Herr Professor Hastläufer who was looking decidedly nervous. This was to be the first class he had ever taught; and though that was true too for many of the young teachers who had been at Durmstrang with Jade, Helmut was nervous too that he was a squib and that he did not have the backing of an education as the others had. The Frau Baronin – he was still coming to terms with calling her Jade or Nefrita in the staff room – had been so good! She had arranged for him to have his own wand, and with much practise he could manage a few of the simpler grooming spells; and his chants worked. He found a chant worked better for him to shave than a depilatory spell; and much easier than using a razor. So at least he was well groomed to meet his first class; and they all rose for him.

"Be seated" he said "Presently I shall ask you to rise again to make the first exercises of chanting easier for you; but first I shall introduce the subject. I am too to give you some basic lessons in music in case any of you show a talent that you wish to develop, as may be of use in chanting; Frau Professor Von Strang uses her flute as emphasis in some chants and tends to sing rather than chant. Using music is often the arithmancer's solution as music has very precise arithmantic relationships within it. But however you lay in the magic of a chant, the method is to build up the effect in layers; it is akin to the brewing of a potion that is made up stir by stir, ingredient by ingredient, the precision of the timing and when each part is added affecting the whole. So too a chant adds themes and rhythms, and may strip away a curse too subtle to take down with a single spell, or one with built in safeguards that cause worse side effects if any but the most subtle counter is tried. Or it may build up an effect with the level of permanency to be found in an enchantment. As enchantment is a ritual, so too is chanting; and it may have profound effects. I have come to you as a music teacher who has learned some chanting so I have not done as many profound things as an expert in the subject like Frau Professor Von Strang; I understand she will lead any advanced students. But I understand she has done a number of most profound healings. Yes er Fraulein gan Gyrth?" Leofa had raised a hand.

"Sir, I have seen her make a woman who was almost blind with a growth on her brain be quite fit again" said Leofa. "She walked round her and chanted and Ilse gasped and said she had not known how much she could not see; and the headaches stopped also."

"The level of medical transfiguration possible with a chant is indeed remarkable" said Helmut; to whom any medical transfiguration was pretty remarkable. And he might hope that with chanting he might duplicate some of those spells! For though only a minimal amount of magic flowed through him, locking it with words of power meant that he might release it from those powerful words! He went on, "Chanting uses poetry of course; you will study different forms of poetry because different sorts may do different jobs. You will be writing poetry; it does not have to be poetry worthy of fame so long as it does the job; and that means the right rhythm and length of line, worked out by Arithmancy. Not usually terribly difficult Arithmancy unless you are a top flight chanter" he reassured. He had learned enough to get by; again thanks to the Frau Baronin! "First however, you must learn to breathe; because we do not, as a general thing, actually breathe efficiently. And as anyone who takes this course to ZP will find out, an hour long chant is required; and such needs fine control of the breath."

Ulvik had been through all this with his new mum; and was glad he had got all the painful part out of the way! Mava too had joined him; they must encourage Lurtz and Klemens and assure them that practise DID make it less painful!

And then it was their second class of Herbology and the first practical, collecting bubotubers for the pus to add to the boil curing solution; and Professor Breuer laughing kindly as she smoothed boil cure potion onto those hands that had accidents with the horrid looking tubers. And Didi was being almost painfully polite to her, marking the Head's words and being so sure to give no offence he almost worried Anett with his excess of civility. She was no legilimens, but a quick glance assured her that this was no hidden insolence; and shrugged to herself that perhaps he had noticed her bulge and had been brought up to be extra polite to pregnant women. Many continental children were. The blithe disregard with which the Snape family treated their pregnancies had shocked Anett at first; but it was just a part of the English stoicism allied with natural Snape contrariness, she decided. And Mortimer was tender, and loving, and told her that she was beautiful; which she appreciated. But he did not try to stop her doing anything or ask her if she could; and when perversity made her ask why, he looked surprised and said that he would not presume to question what she felt her abilities were.

Since he had brought her a biscuit and a glass of milk unfailingly every morning when she was suffering the first pangs of morning sickness, and rubbed her back in bed every night to relax her, it was plain that he cared; and Anett thought that she liked it that he cared too for her dignity and independence. And if she had been expected to shut herself away and do as little as possible she must surely have been climbing the walls with boredom; and as her pregnancy progressed then it would be time enough to ask one of the boys to fetch her things in each class. Meantime, most of the children had not even noticed.

She was sensitive to talk about babies however and listened as Ulvik was telling his friends that the younger of his adoptive siblings were adopted because they were musical and needed extra training.

"Can't your mum have babies of her own if she's adopting all of you?" asked Lurtz sympathetically.

"Oh yes! Well Ralph is hers and dad's; and she was going to have another baby only she wants the two new little ones settled and not so likely to be jealous so she's put off having another baby for a little while" said Ulvik. "And I say, I'm NOT going to change my name because the kids are used to me as I am; it's kind of unfair to swap and change on them. And I think it's not so much Lily and Rory who'll have trouble adapting but Rainer, in case he thinks that he's not wanted; it's a vulnerable sort of age and I think mum ought to have another one in the next year or so in case it coincides with him going off to school so he doesn't feel shuffled off. He'll be ten next year and the September after he'll then be at school."

Anett made a personal note to mention to Jade what a thoughtful little boy her Ulvik was; and hoped that if she and Mortimer ended up adopting any protégés – as they might well with Mort continuing to take an interest in the kids of the Umbrous Alley complex – they would be as lucky.

oOoOo

And new lessons continued to unfold; care of beasts under the enormous young man Mischa Seregin who laughed about being called Herr Professor and claimed to answer better to his first name, Mischa; as he was too small and delicate a creature to be saddled with a long title. Mischa was a half giant; and towered over his largely goblin pupils, such that his friendliness and refusal to be formal was quite reassuring for some of the scared little girls! He was full of jokes and told them that nobody expected them to handle dragons right away; and added 'not until the second half of term' then laughed when some of them looked horrified and assured them that dragons were not actually on the curriculum of practicals at all. Indeed the animals they handled were largely harmless; bowtruckles and fairies to start off with, and Mischa's white deerhound that had been a gift from Lucius Malfoy to deal with any Nogtail incursions; and Mischa explained about Nogtails. They were to help with the stock in the village to accustom them to large animals not necessarily magical because as Mischa said, an animal was an animal; and adapted to behave according to its purpose, mundane or magical alike. And someone used to dealing with mundane creatures with horns like goats and cows would have a better chance later of looking like a posey git with a cape dealing with a graphorn in case any of them ended up entering a Triwizard contest in the future. Almost everyone had listened to the Triwizard with their parents three years ago. They were agog that Mischa claimed to know Lionel Dell which was how he could be quite rude about his friend.

"We'll be too young or a year too old" said Ulvik counting on his fingers.

"Well Lionel Dell stayed on a year to take some new exams he'd not had a chance to cover" said Mischa "You never know. Especially if the head has anyone in mind to cock a snoot at Durmstrang. We can keep you to your nineteenth birthday."

Ulvik wondered; it might be rather fine!

Besides, David Fraser was a ward of Severus Snape; mum was his adopted daughter; and he was his adoptive grandson. It sort of kept it in the family. Though he would probably be competing against mum's genius sister Lilith. It would be nice, thought Ulvik wistfully, when he met all his new family.

oOoOo

That afternoon was Charms and Defence against the Dark Arts; a few problems for some people in the first of these, Lurtz among those struggling with getting an apple to dance on the desk but nothing, Herr Professor Kesselring said cheerfully a bit of practise would not put right especially if on the next lesson they had chocolate frogs that they had to make hop into their mouths.

That was an incentive to practise like mad as their homework!

And DADA was simplicity itself; with Professor Mondschein getting them to define a dark creature as one that had intent to cause harm, as opposed to a dangerous creature that acted according to its nature to protect its existence. And it was not so large a step to realise that a dark wizard was consumed with selfishness and loneliness and wanted to make others miserable because he was a sad little git. Professor Mondschein explained how exciting the dark arts could be because of their many headed and mutable character; and how they appeared powerful because they were ever changing, but despite their fascination the power was but an illusion because they were but a short cut and those who relied on them was essentially lazy and limited.

Manfred put up his hand.

"Excuse me asking, Professor, but did you not learn Dark Arts at Durmstrang, not defensive arts?"

Traudl smiled.

"Indeed I did; and under my first teacher, a subtle and clever – in his own way – agent of Odessa I was well suckered into believing the idea that defence was a weakness and dark arts were strong. My second teacher was one who had been controlled by the dark arts and was limited enough to think that the unforgivable curses were the epitome of the dark arts. She was a very limited creature. She decided to have a go at one Nefrita Von Strang in my class who was part English; and Nefrita – Professor Von Strang to you – showed her that in her English school, alongside her defensive magic she had learned dark arts so powerful and so frightening that this teacher actually knelt and kissed the hem of her robe. This same teacher later tortured my little sister who was one of Nefrita's fags; so Nefrita killed her" she said. Some of the class shuddered. "Whereupon Nefrita took over our lessons and our grades – and understanding – started rising. Teaching the dark arts without defences is foolish; if you summon a dark creature by ritual, I don't know about you but I certainly want to know I can defend myself against if my control slips! And one of the defences I consider imperative is to understand that however fascinating and seductive the dark arts are – and nobody but a fool would deny their allure – there are ways to avoid them consuming your very soul. Like fire they may be a good servant but a VERY unpleasant master. I'm not dredging up a mistake for the sake of it, Herr Schliemann but you KNOW how awful it feels when you've cast the cruciatus curse on someone. Can you imagine what an empty soul has then someone who can do that without thinking? How little humanity they have? I use the word humanity because there is no such word as goblinanity and it's clumsy; a fault in the language but let us assume that it refers to any race and that humans are sloppy and parochial in speech."

"It – it is bad," said Manfred.

"It is, Herr Schliemann; you know you would hate to be someone who did not think twice about doling that out; as the teacher Hedda Schrempf did – even on babes your age – for such heinous offences as handing in homework late or asking questions she did not know the answer to. My baby sister was DYING. Had not Nefrita been the champion at ritual magic she would have been too late to save her. All because Schrempf was in a rage because the Headmistress had ticked her off over a matter; some minor staffroom quarrel that Schrempf could not let alone. THAT is what a dark wizard is; a spoilt brat with the self control of a toddler in a rage. It's hardly an edifying picture, now, is it?"

It was not; and was something all vowed to steer clear of; Manfred avowing it as loudly as the rest as they left the class! Professor Mondschein had seen both Dark Arts and their defences up close and so she ought to know!

And that was another day over!

oOoOo

The only new class on Wednesday was Ancient Runes; and Professor Elstrup was so enthusiastic it was easy to be carried along by his enthusiasms, especially when he explained that only through a study of Runes could chanting come into its full powers. Ulvik found this interesting, though Jade had said much the same thing when advising the lessons he might want to take seriously. Bertel Elstrup also waxed lyrical on being among the first to read a previously untranslated text nobody had read for some four thousand years, thanks in large part to Nefrita Von Strang being a potioneer trained by Professor Severus Snape himself and hence knowing improvements to a potion mentioned in the text, allowing other logograms to be deduced. Sometimes ancient runes could be like the work in a Verhmgericht story, looking for elusive clues to find things out, he said. And if some of the class still considered reading their own language a bit of a struggle he made it sound exciting enough for them to be prepared to work hard for him. As runes were one of the very few things that got the normally phlegmatic Bertel excited they saw him at his best; and Ulvik smiled to himself as he recalled his mum saying to his dad that if a girl ever fancied Bertel the only way she was likely to get his attention was by writing to him in some script so obscure he actually had to turn to a text book to translate it.

Ulvik suspected that for all the exciting moments there were going to be some pretty tedious hours of meticulous comparison and translation; which meant that it was worth while learning any logograms and pictograms pretty thoroughly to make sure translating them was easier.

Otherwise classes were follow on classes from subjects they had already been introduced to; including some fairly successful hopping chocolate frogs, even if some people had to bob down to get them to jump as high as their mouths; and too the brewing of boil cure potion. It was another subject Lurtz had trouble with; but he was a hard worker and Professor Rebet praised him for that.

oOoOo

Thursday saw Transfigurations. Only Viva Mittwoch failed to turn her matchstick into a needle and Professor Bane said she might try through intermediate stages. Viva still failed to perform; and Professor Bane comforted her and told her not to worry about it as sometimes trying too hard could be worse than not trying at all; and a few lessons of theory might make all the difference. Viva was somewhat comforted but not terribly optimistic; still, at least she had every hope of taking actual ZPs and would not be dependant on passing a required level of transfiguration on a ZAP.

oOoOo

Friday's new lesson was history and muggle studies; a combined subject for this first year as early history marched alongside muggle history. History was like an exciting adventure story without an end the way Professor Grindler told it; Ulvik enjoyed it! They were to race through ancient history for the first term and move into the early medieval period that was the first part of the examination course after Yule, though they would cover that in more depth if they were to take the ZP in History as an elective; but, said Professor Grindler, the early history placed into context what happened later and too helped to drive home the lesson that the Odessa-promulgated lies that muggles were not truly sentient was so much erumpent dung.

As Professor Grindler was able to tell them that actually he knew several muggles, and that they had their own exams in technological subjects at least as complex as ZHs on such things as why electricity worked they were ready, on the whole, to dubiously believe him. It had been a leap of faith for Ulvik too when Jade had taken him to task for making some blithe unthinking comment about muggles; and it had been when he learned that though of Malfoy blood she was technically muggle born! And that Wulf's first wife had been a muggle werewolf – a further lesson on the perfidy of Odessa that they would make muggles into werewolves.

oOoOo

Every day too they did Arithmancy and most days they studied extra classes of charms or potions or transfigurations; and it was all fascinating. And they had set periods during each day to do their preparation; and the extra work Didi had complained about was not really so heavy after all.

Then it was the weekend and the voluntary classes that Ulvik and friends were determined to take; comparative magic in the morning and geomancy after kaffee und kuchen.

Professor Vasilica Seregina, who DID answer to a formal title, was taken aback to have a class encompassing the three third years, and an impressive number of the first; the four marauders had talked the Schenik twins and Emilia into coming as well as Saeyth. A class of eleven was probably eleven more than Vasilica had expected but she was delighted and proceeded to embark upon the way different cultures viewed and approached magic; which affected what they did and how they did it. Likewise how views of different magical beings might change and indeed how millenia of a tradition might shape the very magical creatures themselves especially such mutable creatures as the fey and fairykind, who were as many headed and mutable as the dark arts. It was fascinating!

And after lunch they had broom practice; and those of them who had been on brooms were taken aside by Leo Black-Weasley for a knockabout game or two of quidditch while the rest learned how to mount and control their brooms. Professor Black-Weasley told tales of playing quidditch for one's house in Hogwarts and some of the choicer anecdotes over what had gone on; like the first time the Malfoy twins, each playing keeper for his respective house, with one accord stood up on their brooms for the greater reach.

"And Pepperup Poppy – er, I mean Madam Pomfrey, our school nurse – almost had conniptions over the number of broken bones she was mending with young idiots trying to copy them without any idea of just how much skill and control it takes" chuckled Leo.

"Can you do it sir?" asked Grelleg, thrilled.

"Not very well" said Leo, climbing up onto his broom to demonstrate. "You should see Lilith Snape; she leaps into the air and lands with her feet perfectly where her broom has moved to; or somersaults to catch the broom and swing back up; AWESOME! I say, Grelleg, you ARE good enough to be worth training in that; I'll see if I can't see about getting someone to teach you; and anyone else who proves so good. We may as well try and lick Durmstrang any way we can after all!"

It was easy to see that Professor Black-Weasley had only been a schoolboy himself a short time ago; he was so boyish and enthusiastic – not that this stopped him being serious over safety in his metalworking class. But it was nice that he could be so light-hearted at the weekend!

oOoOo

The four and the two girls in the Upper First turned up for Geomancy in the early evening; and Leo – who asked them to call him Leo in a voluntary class because it took less than half an hour to say whereas calling him Herr Professor Black-Weasley would shorten the lesson considerably – took them through geomantic symbols, asking the two older girls to look on it as revision.

As it happened, Valerie and Renate had not covered all the symbols, only those that Valerie's father had been familiar with; which was the most common ones but by no means all they would need. Leo set them prep of playing snap with snap cards he had made of the symbols, and naming them when they had snapped. These snap cards did not explode; but they made a farting noise if you got it wrong and clapped together as applause if you got it right. It was the best homework they had been given to date! They played all day Sunday outside of prep hours because it was fun.

It was at this point that Ulvik had the brainstorm and charged off to see Professor Elstrup, showing him the cards and suggesting that like cards might be used to learn logograms and pictograms; which made Bertel's day and had him quite forgiving the little boy for interrupting his Sunday evening and praising him for such ingenuity.

And then he went in search of Leo to ask him how he had enchanted the cards; and was taken aback when Leo said

"Enchant? I don't enchant; I sang to the ruddy things and told them what I wanted to do whilst naming each one rhythmically; chanting, you know old boy; it's the works."

Bertel sighed and decided to enlist Jade who proceeded to revolutionise the whole idea – Leo and his Geomancy cards and all – to sort out for publication as educational aids once they had tested the efficacy.

Ulvik knew nothing of the work he had involved the sundry professors in and went to bed happily because he had managed to have a good and useful idea for a teaching aid.

And they had been at school a whole week, and there were another ten weeks or more to look forward to before Yule!


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Already the various systems Jade had devised to help slower learners were coming in handy; Mortimer had spoken to her about Viva's inability to see how to turn a matchstick into a needle and Jade advised using Finnish naming magic taking her through the words for matchstick, pencil- which might also be pin – another word for pin and then finally needle where the German words for each stage bore more similarity to each other. Besides, as she pointed out, if the child believed in Finnish naming magic belief was half the battle.

She was also using abacuses in her Arithmancy classes for those who struggled with using different bases. This did not include any of the first, who needed only a minimal amount, even the slower ones, of visual explanation; but in the upper first there were three remedial students, who joined the one second year, Nuta gan Kolaz who appeared to have told Clovis that she had understood when she had not for fear, Jade suspected, of making him despise her.

Jade had scolded her for making Clovis look a fool by not treating him with the respect due to a teacher; because a teacher can only teach properly when they know how well their student has understood; and pointed out that Clovis had been preoccupied chasing a lich, a very dangerous dark creature, and had therefore taken anything she said at face value, not having time to test her. Nuta promised to do better and worked on not crying; and Jade cuddled her and said that they should study the lesson over and if Nuta would list any other principles she was dodgy on in first year work, they too could be studied over again.

Of the others, Gauda gan Garit and Bric gan Sarric were not the best of students but did finally get the idea; but Valerie Müller was always going to be confused, even with doing lessons using sweeties instead of an abacus. The child was another one needing extra work in transfigurations; and it was as well she could carry a wand of right being human with two core subjects so poor. She was at least an adequate practitioner of charms and potions, and had her own interest in geomancy; a skill to bring instant employment but not one she would progress far at without some Arithmancy. She was at least brilliant at flying; and might perhaps have a career in quidditch.

Those who were poor at charms could usually manage SOME class of charms even if not all types of spell; and those who were poor in practice were not necessarily poor at theory and vice versa. Potions was the same, though Ihor Rebet almost tore his hair out when Vinz gan Doric, instead of using the powdered shells of hedgesparrows thrown from the nest by cuckoo chicks in his forgetfulness potion used instead fresh ashwinder eggs and set fire to his cauldron and very nearly set fire to his desk.

It might be said that Vinz' older brother Kole was both sympathetic and relieved it was not him, as he was working for his remove. Kole had also taken on another subject, for seeing the ancient runes homework of the first and, on asking a few questions thought it so easy he thought it might not come amiss to study; and although he was already fifteen, Jade and Wulf had agreed, despite him being poor at charms. It was sinful to waste ability and talent after all!

oOoOo

The first meanwhile were attempting to turn beetles into coffee beans; Mortimer had decided that Käfer to Kaffee was a lot easier than Käfer to Knopf, beetle to button, or indeed vice versa.

It was not Viva who caused the stir in class this time however; for Viva at least managed to turn her beetle into a coffee bean with six legs that blundered blindly about her desk. It was Har gan Szark who was normally extremely good at transfigurations who let his mind wander and produced a cage full of beetles.

"Herr gan Szark have you any idea how you managed that?" asked Mortimer.

"Well, sir, I was thinking about Finish naming magic I think" said Har, looking slightly taken aback "Finnish is related to Hungarian you know; only I was concentrating hard in thinking in German and I guess I came up with Käfig, a cage."

"Well just try not to think of the next logical progression and go via köpfig when you try to get back to a single beetle and make yourself – or worse, me, bald" said Mortimer. "Creditable to think about the words, try to be more discriminating in the words you think of in future."

Har grinned.

"Bald beetles?" he said.

"News for you laddie; beetles are supposed to be bald" said Mortimer.

The first would have been happier had not Didi decided that, to prove his resolve that he was going to approve of part blood goblins bettering themselves, he should help Viva.

As a result he told her that she deserved help in her desire to better herself and proceeded to try to make her concentrate on transfiguring things.

Viva was generally enthusiastic and happy-go-lucky but to her Didi's insistent 'help' was like the pushier men who visited the brothel; like the ones who had tried to persuade her mother rather forcefully that Viva might pose for photographs in 'Hübsch Fraulein' a publication Jade had suspected used underage girls in its pages and was, had Viva but known it, seeking proof through her agents. The little girl burst into tears.

"Gan Gautic, WHAT are you doing now?" demanded Ulvik "You bully!"

"I'm not! I am but trying to help her!" cried Didi "She is poor at transfigurations; Herr Professor Luytens said I should be ready to encourage those who would better themselves; ASK him! And I am trying!"

"Very" said Mava. "Here, Viva, don't cry; I can't swim. Take no notice of that fool."

Didi looked stricken.

"I am TRYING!" he said.

Ulvik regarded him thoughtfully.

"All right, gan Gautic, I believe you" he said "Like I said, it's a bit poor to disbelieve a man's word unless he has a record of lying; and you're honest. Trouble is, there's ways and ways to help and I guess the staff are on it for the actual instruction bit. And this IS a leisure period and we really are NOT supposed to strain our brains in leisure periods. Anyway, her coffee bean didn't wander too far and Professor Bane made it a beetle again so it wouldn't get too distressed. It's a shame animate to inanimate is supposed to be the easy one not the other way round or we could make clay beetles to help her practise – and figure out some game to do it in. See, gan Gautic, you've all good will in this but you're trying too hard – like Viva and her beetles – and I guess that makes anyone make a hash of things. Because you're pushing her to the point it's bullying without meaning to. And at least you've got people who'll tell you that before you mess up what could be a friendship with Viva if you'd just tell her that you'd like to help and will sit and make encouraging noises when she is practising. That'd be good, wouldn't it Viva, having us rooting for you but without making fatuous and silly suggestions?"

"I don't know" said Viva "Having people look over my shoulder makes me nervous."

"Well suppose we played a game then, like Ulvik suggested" said Lurtz "And we go into the garden to look for beetles and the person who gets the most coffee beans wins?"

"Wins what?" said Didi.

"Well we all get a sweetie allowance; if we pool it we could put it up as a prize" said Klemens.

"Boys think of NOTHING but eating" said Mava with a toss of her head. "I say we should ask Professor Von Strang to hold our sweetie money and spend it on a prize book for the winner; one of their choice."

"Brilliant!" said Ulvik. "Us four and Viva and gan Gautic – if you're in?"

"But what's the use?" said Viva "I've already lost before we begin!"

"Huh, when I know how much you want 'Cassie goes to school'?" said Mava "THAT's an incentive IF you like!"

"Suppose I catch beetles for Viva to change, to make it fairer" said Didi "So she doesn't have to catch them AND transfigure them. Because I can buy any book I want so it- it isn't fair for me to have a chance of winning."

"Spoken like a man" said Ulvik "That's a damn good idea gan Gautic; respect to you."

Didi flushed, pleased; if finding a prominent human patron was not on the cards, he could do worse than manage to please the adopted son of someone as famous as Nefrita Von Strang, one of the founders of the new German Council. And that he had spoken as he thought and STILL managed to please him was even better!

They went to speak to Jade about it.

She was delighted.

"I agree it's a fine thing to do to help Viva" she said "And what's more I'll put up a prize anyway and not deprive you good and selfless children of your sweetie ration. And Didi, I am MOST pleased with you that you will help Viva. She is to do her OWN transfiguration though; and I guess as judge I'll ignore the odd leg. But then, if you have a coffee bean with legs, it's only a short step to coffee bean without legs, isn't it?" she added.

"We should get Emilia Horber in as well with Saxburra to find beetles for her" suggested Mava "She's only a little less worse than Viva."

The competition went ahead; and the group of children ferreted giggling in trees and bushes.

oOoOo

Ulvik was inside a bush when he heard a little cry of fear and consternation; and hurried right through the bush, collecting vegetation in his clothes and hair on the way.

The big girl Magda Schmitt was backing away from the rangy figure of Ligern's older brother Murt.

"WELL now, pretty girl, I got a bit of a bonus then" said the goblin "I seen you with the orphanage humans; so that means you ain't got anyone to come looking after me. I'll have me fun, then if you don't tell me where the good stuff is fer me to lift, I'll cut yer, see, and yer won't be so pretty no more!"

"There IS someone who'd come looking you thug!" cried Ulvik, bursting out of the bushes, heaving out his wand.

"Sod off brat" said Murt "There ain't nobody; and if you don't sod off I'll bloody make you."

"There is someone and it's my mum and dad and if you think you can make me you just go right ahead, wandless wonder!" cried Ulvik, reckoning that being literal as well as using the euphemistic insult should make Murt let go of Magda.

It did.

"Go get dad!" cried Ulvik. Magda knew he had been adopted; and with a frightened look at him she obeyed. Murt advanced.

"Now you done irritated me you snotty little brat" he sneered "Account of not getting my good screw."

"She didn't want to lay with you; I guess a woman should have the choice" said Ulvik wondering which minor jinxes he knew that would be of any use. "_evome limax!_" he cast the slug vomiting curse "_acerbus!_" he added the stinging hex several times, waving his wand towards Murt's feet. One hit the youth higher up and caused him to double over. Ulvik added bluebell flames for good measure and saw with delight the bigger goblin's trousers go afire causing him to dance wildly batting at his legs as best he might for the slugs pouring out of his mouth, clutching himself.

There was a sharp CRAC! behind him.

"_Petrificus totalis_" said the deep voice of Wulf, who also absently summoned water from his wand to put out the flames as the young goblin stiffened into immobility. A flick of the wand too negated the slugs. "Well now, WHAT have we caught here?"

"Oh dad, he meant to rape Magda and he told her she would have to tell him where to go to steal stuff or he'd cut up her face!" cried Ulvik in relief "That is SUCH a cool spell!"

"The other one to use to incapacitate is _incarcerous_ which summons binding ropes; it IS a little more complex to use a summoning spell however and the full body bind works very nicely too" said Wulf calmly "It also makes it easier to cast _mobilocorpus_" he pointed his wand as he spoke the incantation and Murt's body swung neatly into a horizontal position and moved along as Wulf wafted his wand. "I think we'll go round the shrubbery, son, not through it this time; though you've collected enough to be a shrubbery yourself."

Ulvik grinned and absently started picking bits of twigs out of himself.

"I was looking for beetles and when Magda cried out I guess I just kept right on without thinking" he said.

"Dear me, signs of incipient Gryffindorshness!" laughed Wulf "we'll have you turning into Harry Potter if you're not careful!"

Ulvik grinned as Wulf ruffled his hair. His dad had smiled approval on him for all his teasing words; and that felt so good!

oOoOo

The competition was over by the time they got back; and Mava had won by a short nose with twenty seven beetles. Viva had twenty six; and only half of them still had legs. Emilia had not done badly and with Saxburra's help had surpassed Klemens if not Lurtz.

"Mava gets the prize by a nose; but as Viva is SO close – and has made this in so many ways a personal best – I declare her equal first and will also get a prize" said Jade. "Emilia, you did really well; I'll give you a consolation prize and you boys and Saxburra small prizes for your generosity of nature. Which should not need reward but I'm going to anyway" she added. "What books do you two girls want?"

"Cassie, please, Frau Professor!" gasped Viva.

"Tales of Merlin, please Frau Professor!" said Mava.

Jade made a note; she would send an elf to make purchases in the city; and a writing set for Emilia and fine quills for the others.

"What happened to Ulvik?" she asked.

"He went hunting a thief-rapist" said Wulf, coming in with a hand on Ulvik's shoulder. "Magda wants to cry on your shoulder my dear and then we have a nasty piece of work in your dungeons to make decisions about; Ligern's brother."

"WHAT a nuisance; I knew he was inadequate but I did not know….has he actually…?"

"No; Ulvik interrupted him as he was about to undo his trousers; he has a nifty aim with a stinging hex, has our lad!"

"I missed actually; I was aiming for his feet and lower legs" said Ulvik.

"Well, it was a jolly nice accident then!" laughed Wulf "Though NOT from Murt's point of view!"

oOoOo

"Well trust YOU to go off and be a hero!" teased Lurtz.

Ulvik gave a shamefaced grin.

"I didn't exactly set out to be anything" he said "I just heard Magda and kind of acted without thinking. And any of you would probably have done the same and I say I AM glad, Mava, that you used the slug vomiting hex on Schliemann because I saw how effective it was at distracting people or I might not have thought of it; and I say, dad showed me one called the full body bind and its incantation is _petrificalis totalis_ which is worth knowing if anyone tries to hurt any of us; he kind of stiffened like he was turned to stone."

"Neat" said Klemens "We must learn and remember that; be handy to win a duel with too."

"Rather" said Lurtz "If we have to fight any more."

"We might end up in a duelling contest against Durmstrang" said Mava hopefully. "Like with quidditch, even if we don't win, we can make a good showing!"

They were proud of Ulvik for capturing someone bent on harm; and sorry for Ligern that he had a brother like that and for Magda for having got a bit of a fright. Mava privately believed that she would herself have made a better showing even against a big boy of sixteen, rather than turning wet and screaming instead of hitting him and spelling him; to Mava's way of thinking, spelling someone who was hassling you seemed obvious.

Still, poor Magda had been an orphan and was accustomed to being pushed about and told what to do by everyone; it probably made a difference, thought Mava tolerantly.

The happiest girl in the school, however, was Viva.

oOoOo

Jade and Wulf regarded the sullen Murt, now tied up in one of the dungeons.

"WHAT are we going to do with it?" asked Wulf.

"Can't leave him here; wolves will come and piss on him. Ain't fair on the wolves" misquoted Jade.

"We could just hand him over to the Vehmgerichten" said Wulf.

"Reflects badly on Ligern though to have a jailbird brother" said Jade "Better to either kill him or use ritual to turn him into a house elf tied to Ligern and his siblings to make up for the trouble he's caused them."

"That's impossible!" cried Murt.

"Funny how I've done it before then" said Jade "To a human as it happens; but then the familial descent of elves and goblins is even closer than the relationship between elves and humans. The fly in the ointment is that I disapprove of slavery."

"Unbreakable vow then?" said Wulf.

"That; and too a small curse" said Jade, walking around the chair on which Murt was bound, chanting softly. She used a muggle song called 'tainted love' as the basis. When she had finished she looked Murt in the eye. "I could have made you impotent; I have not. But take any woman – goblin, human, elf, anyone – that is unwilling and you will know what it is like; every bruise, every thrust will happen also to you as though you had incurred the lust of a homosexual troll. Have a willing partner and you'll be just dandy. Now; the unbreakable vow that you will stay away from this school and your siblings for the rest of their lives; conditional that it not be counted broken if any is so misguided as to seek YOU out. Hold out your hands" she waved a hand and the ropes fell off him.

"What if I won't swear?" asked Murt.

"We feed you to the griffon" said Jade calmly. They had a school griffon; scarcely more than a kitten, and he had only barely left his mother, Godrica the Griffon of Prince Peak. He was Mischa's darling and only the third years were permitted near him. They had named him Goldigflügel; and Mischa called him Max.

Murt paled; somehow he believed so matter of fact tone more than melodramatic threats. Which was as well because Jade had no intention of feeding him to Max. she had too much respect for Max.

"All right then" he said sulkily and held out his hands.

Jade proceeded to cast an unbreakable vow spell and the fiery lines bound their hands as he muttered compliance.

"Excellent" she said "I would have hated to have given our griffon indigestion. Now I'm going to drop you in Berlin; with enough money to buy food for a couple of days; and suggest that you get an honest job. If you decide to take up burglary you will probably get caught; but at least then it's nothing to do with Ligern. And it will make you a triple idiot."

"eh?" asked Murt.

"Once an idiot for turning down a job here with instruction alongside; twice an idiot for then attempting to attack the school and its inmates; thrice an idiot if you take to stealing. Ah, you sneer; you'll recall my words when you have been caught you young fool" said Jade "You can always tell an idiot, but you cannot tell him much. Well, bad cess to you" she added; and apparated the youth smoothly into Berlin's Kesselstrasse.

She was quickly home.

"He'll steal and be caught" she said "Poor Ligern; Murt is one who knows everything and knows nothing."

"He had his chance" said Wulf "And if he'd even apologised here, I guess you might have given him a second chance somehow."

"I would; but some people just WILL not learn" said Jade "And I have at least learned to take that philosophically; I used once to get upset about it. I thought, by the by, I'd get Ulvik a fine quill like the others; it shows approval for his actions but does not set him aside from the rest. Too much Gryffishness should be played down. He did good, but let's not overdo the congratulation in case it goes to his head. I don't THINK it would, but he HAS had a tough time so approval and love are good; show we approve but think it is just what we would expect of him."

oOoOo

When Ulvik was presented with his quill he looked surprised.

"But I did not take part in the competition after all" he said.

"No; but you set out with the intent to; and got sidetracked into doing something else marauderish" said Jade laconically "It's not a reward for doing as marauders would do but because I want to show all that I appreciate the intent to work together to help and you were in that intent. The prize to you boys and Saxburra are to encourage school spirit in the whole school; as there are no houses to win points for, and unfair to do it by year as is done at Prince Peak until there's a few more years. And mostly it's to say to Didi that he's heading the right way."

Ulvik nodded.

"And you don't really want the rest of the school knowing that I sort of got sidetracked because as we do everything together they'd ask; because you want to keep the creep's visit quiet in case it frightens any of the girls" he said.

"Exactly; and too it's not very nice for Magda to have the fright she received chattered about by a flock of juvenile magpies" said Jade.

Ulvik nodded wisely.

"I won't discuss it" he said "Secret marauder business."

"There's my good boy" said Jade.

oOoOo

Magda was frightened not hurt; and she sobbed that with all that she had learned she had still frozen when Murt grabbed her and had not thought to use either martial arts or spell.

"You have not been learning that long" said Jade "And too you must learn that Magda Schmitt is a person in her own right, not some number to be ordered around by the orphanage staff. That's a harder lesson to learn than the use of magic; but you'll get there. I have every faith in you! And the more you practise with the martial arts, the more it becomes second nature, so you act without even having a chance to freeze."

One had to say that with the confidence that sounded as if one believed it; and hope it would be true as Magda gained self confidence. This had been a blow to her self worth and Jade silently poured vituperation anew on the head of Murt. If only it had been the sharp tongued cynical Biirta, Ulvik would have been entirely superfluous. But it was not; and Jade must reassure Magda as best she might and set Biirta to watch her and keep her from brooding.

If only Murt had chosen to stay.

Still, if he had there was no guarantee he would not have stolen all he could and left after a short while if magic was not his to command perfectly in a few short weeks; and doubtless would have taken his wand and brought a bad name onto the school. One had to remember he had already given his brother a poor self image by cursing him for a disability he could not help. And he cared nothing for the younger ones either. Ligern must accept that he was the oldest of the family and learn to grow into that.

Poverty was a grindstone that might make the finest flour or the coarsest grit.

oOoOo

To add a further complication to life came the news in the 'Ursprungen Sonn' that Tulegen Nurtazin had escaped from Nurmengard with the agency of a couple of unknown people in the guise of two well-known muggles – the chancellor and her husband – and as it seemed unlikely that Frau Angela Berkel was likely to be raising large numbers of dementors the likelihood of this being a muggle plot could be ruled out. And, as Jade said, trust the 'Sonn' to even suggest such a stupid idea.

Well at least Zhanargul was blood group; she was fairly well protected. And who it might be one could only speculate; but only those who had been in Durmstrang in the last year could have known anything about Tulegan Nurtazin unless it was supporters of his from Kazakhstan.

Well there was the unholy trio; though Jade thought that she HAD managed a breakthrough to Claudette Reynoult. Calvina Leckkessel then; or Erzebet Czerny; and perhaps some other disaffected person or persons. One perhaps who had been bound not to revenge himself on Jade but who could be drawn into a plot to revenge himself indirectly through one Jade was fond of? One's thoughts went immediately to such ineffectual plotters with ultimate ruthlessness as Heinrich Nachtigall and Klaas de Witt. And Heinrich's father. It was unlikely that Ignaz Frettchen was involved; he would be under close watch but he might be attracted to the banner that called to take what you wanted, which was the creed of Tulegan Nurtazin and such of his cohorts as he had. She opened a link to Cacilia and passed on her thoughts; and too sent elves to the homes of those she suspected to see if they were there. There would need to be more than the two who were seen to be able to muster large numbers of dementors.

"In fact they must have a huge conspiracy going" she said quietly to Wulf "With the four or five I suspect I doubt they could raise more than ten or a dozen dementors."

"My darling, for most people that IS a large number" he said dryly.

"What, hardly enough to build up a sweat over?" said Jade.

"For those of us who have the tools; and have no trouble getting up a patronus" said Wulf, patiently. "For most witches and wizards, more than four dementors is 'a large number'. You are used to the attempted overkill of Odessa; who at least respected the English Headmasters well enough to think that an unprecedentedly huge number of dementors was required."

Jade grinned.

"And we still creamed them and good" she said. "We shan't mention that I know this fellow to the school; but I think we should warn Ulvik. And this means I'm thinking of blooding him and the little ones. Which means deciding whether to bring in his marauding group too."

"Talk to them frankly of this and of what older marauders do" said Wulf "And let them decide whether to blood in or not."

"You are wise" said Jade.

oOoOo

Ulvik listened in wonder.

He had never heard of blood magic; but it sounded serious; and to be made ritually part of his mum and dad's family seemed amazingly wonderful!

"What about the little ones?" he asked.

"We shall talk to Rainer who is old enough to make up his own mind; and if he agrees we just won't ask the babes but will tell them it's for the best" said Jade "It'd be nice to know we won't have to worry about them. Do you wish this?"

"Oh yes please!" cried Ulvik; having once made up his mind to be part of Jade and Wulf's family he wanted to go the whole way!

"We don't usually bring people in – unless they're born to it or there is an extra risk to them – until they're in the third year" said Wulf "And obviously I mean that in age, not our slightly muddled system here! And we wanted to ask your advice over whether the other marauders were ready yet; because I'm not entirely sure they are."

Ulvik considered.

"I see what you mean; though goblins and half goblins get to be older than human children because we have to grow up to the realities of life faster. Only it wouldn't be fair to bring in Mava and Lurtz without bringing in Klemens; and I think, just a bit, he's still playing at being a marauder."

Wulf nodded.

"That was more or less what I too had concluded" he said "Then unless we need to draw on the power of extra – which I doubt, this Tulegen Nurtazin is scarcely in the league of Voldemort or the massed powers of Odessa – we will leave them out for now."

oOoOo

Rainer listened thoughtfully; and though it sounded a bit scary he liked the idea of it helping him to understand even more how people felt.

And so there was a small private blooding, and Jade played a pain soothing tune for Wulf to cut the palms of Lily and Rory and Ralph so he too could be a part of it; and Leo and Mortimer, Anett, Traudl, Ritter, Rodica and Bertel joined with them too to make more of a quorum; and Ritter wagged a finger at Ulvik and said,

"Now, little brother, we really SHALL be tough on you in class!"

Ulvik did not care; the joy of feeling a part of such a wonderful group was beyond anything he might have imagined!

oOoOo

The danger from dark wizards did not seem, after taking precautions, to be likely to materialise; there was, as reported on Wizarding Wireless, an attack by inferii during one of the Durmstrang fixtures; the game was called off – to the scorn of the Durmstrang team – although the inferii had been dealt with in short order by, so far as Jade could gather, the quidditch team and sundry other young marauders. Zhanargul was dismissive when she spoke to a reporter; as too was Agata, who sounded bored save when filled with amused contempt. Frankly if those who had broken Nurtazin out HAD been amongst the previously expelled she had every right to do so; they had not been exactly effectual dark wizards.

A week or so later, Zhanargul contacted Jade with a request to stay out of it unless screamed for as a matter of principle of not running to her whenever they had a little distraction – Jade hid amusement over Zhanargul's careful wording of that to sound more English – and that they had everything well in hand.

There was a period of some confusion, the requirement to lend power to bounce a few killing curses, Takeo in extreme pain for a while and trying to block, a few incidents of damage rapidly shared out and then the feeling of quiet satisfaction over a job well done allied with some upset over dealing with the horror of actually killing people.

Durmstrang had it all well in hand and were now quite capable of independent action over enemies. That was good.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"Is it permitted that I embrace you for all you have done for our little girl, you who are a true angel?"

Jade had received visitors, Señor and Señora Fernandez, parents of Wencelada, whose heart defect she had cured with a chant. She grinned and held out her hands.

"I don't know about angel, but a hug sincerely meant is always good" she replied and warmly embraced both of Wencelada's parents. It was not a liberty she would have accepted from anyone English that was not family; but Jade was a cosmopolitan soul. "How may I help you?" she asked when she had escaped from the firm Spanish affection.

"It is perhaps that we may help you – and the ideals you follow – by way of saying thank you; or so I hope" said Señor Fernanadez. "This school of yours that is for goblins, and those who are not what the Germans accept – they being so limited in ability, many of them, that they fear the muggleborn will show them up – it is superb. We would much like to look around, to have some idea, and we will then sponsor a couple of Spanish goblins – or Portuguese or Brazilian – who may then perhaps learn to teach, and when Wencelada leaves school she may then start to copy your ideals and make a Spanish school that will be better than Beauxbatons that now accepts half goblins."

Jade refrained from saying that this was not hard.

"Wencelada then is keen to teach?" she asked.

"Wencelada is keen to follow her idol, the great Jade Von Luytens, in all things" said Señora Fernandez "And she is so healthy and happy! We decided to send her to school only because she so loved learning, though there was no guarantee she would even survive to ZP; now she has as good a chance at a long life as anyone, and it is a gift beyond price! So we put aside what we may – we are not poor – to buy her a school and start to pay fees for the professors, which is why we do not care to sponsor more than two or three."

Jade nodded.

"Yes; the greater purpose is served in having the facilities ready" she said "For the education of the greater number in the long term. And while you prepare that, Wencelada might find it worth while to spend a year teaching either here, or in the free school in England. May I ask what it is you do?"

"I am a master baker" said Señor Fernandez "Though I do little enough baking myself; my father built up the business to three shops and I now have outlets across Spain and Portugal, yes, and selling to muggles too, though not such confections as are traditional wizarding ones like laughing cakes."

"Excellent" said Jade "Of course, Wencelada would have avoided learning the trade for fear of coughing in the flour and making her heart strain worse."

"Quite so" said Señor Fernandez. "The twins are not especially interested and Esmeralda is besides a disaster in the kitchen; but our son Diego has the Touch; he will carry on the business. It will be another two years before he enters school however."

"I wondered, if Señora Fernandez does not have to work" said Jade "And if you too have spare hours in the day whether you might find some eager goblins who are perhaps older than ten or eleven, and bring them on in five basic subjects? The ZAP and the DOE are much equivalent, Charms, Potions and Transfigurations plus two other subjects. In England the two other subjects taught as standard at the free school are herbology and care of beasts; in my school unless a child has a talent I teach DADA and Arithmancy. And it's amazing how far on eager youths may be brought on with just two hours a day over a year; and frankly, if I let you have a list of things children NEED to know, the eager could learn all they need over the year – if they are both intelligent and hard working. It's been done before, one of my teachers started school at fourteen, took OWLs at the proper time and went on to take five NEWTs."

The couple exchanged glances.

"We had not thought of it" said Señora Fernandez "I am not sure I am good enough to teach."

"You'd be surprised how much flows back when the kids ask questions" said Jade "Come and see our scholars at work; we have rather muddled classes at the minute for I have three years of different ability and the accelerator class only hoping to take ZAP, and then considering afterwards whether to convert that to ZP or not."

"It is the important one of course, in permitting a goblin to have a wand; many would work hard for that" Said Señor Fernandez.

"And be aware also that there are many goblins who, like humans, whine after what they have not but who would run a mile rather than do the work to get it" said Jade dryly. "Pick at first at least only those youths who have proven that they want to better themselves, those not afraid of work; else you may find disappointment. And you know, you may, Señora, find that you will yourself enjoy it enough that you will like to be headmistress. And when it is running properly, you can charge less than Durmstrang and enough to subsidise your free students and take those human pupils who want better than Beauxbatons and find Durmstrang too far away and a little too….well, German. Perhaps you may too find other backers in the wealthier goblins who have come from Brazil; it is to be looked into, I would say."

"You give many good ideas!" enthused Señor Fernandez; and his wife nodded thoughtfully.

Jade showed them around.

The second were in the process of turning mice into snuffboxes with more or less aplomb; Grelleg gan Schenik had managed a beautifully enamelled snuffbox that could pass as Fabergé; Higith gan Sittig's still had whiskers and a tail and Hegi gan Guthic's ran around the desk with an oval metal body as the only alteration to the form of the mouse.

Mortimer returned those mice to their natural forms and gently suggested that the girls start again and concentrate hard, describing out loud the effect they wanted too.

Most of the snuffboxes still had whiskers.

Mortimer smiled ruefully at Jade and the visitors – the class had risen politely even if trying to surreptitiously stop their snuffboxes from wandering off – and bowed.

"We have, on the whole, a blind spot to transfiguration in this class" he explained. "Sometimes a whole year bar the odd few are just dire at one subject; or conversely brilliant. It's the way things are."

"Take them right back to beetles and coffee beans" said Jade "And introduce Finnish naming into it as part of the assimilative correlation only for Pete's sake don't confuse them with technical terms."

"I wasn't planning to" said Mortimer. He added quietly in English, "Grelleg's ready in many things to be in the third; he's very good."

"Write me a report on him and I'll have one from the other teachers; and put him through more hoops than the rest so the transfer is smooth" said Jade, also in English. "If he can cover the rest of the syllabus and what the third have done in the rest of the term he can go up at Yule."

Mortimer nodded; he did not think Grelleg would find it a problem.

oOoOo

The third were in potions and none of them were having any difficulties at all; Herman seemed to have a better colour to his eczema cure, and if none of them were born potioneers, at least none of them should have any difficulty passing the exam well.

oOoOo

Upper first were in Charms where only Kole gan Doric struggled.

"This is the accelerator class" said Jade "Herein the pupils get a lot of rapid theory passed to them that they must needs assimilate in their spare time and the practicals quite intensive. They learn only the five basic subjects and hope to cover enough in the year to scrape a pass at ZAP. It's almost a class for passing an exam rather than for true learning, but hopefully they learn enough too that will enable them to taken an extra year over a few ZP's that may then convert, if they so desire, to ZH. Our oldest students here are sixteen and so need the hard work to catch up. The younger ones may slot into other classes as they achieve enough. It's a more ruthless teaching method than those who are more or less with their age group. They have very little leisure during this first year, but may hopefully then fit in either with their age group or learn enough to leave with at least some qualification. The first year proper have a much more relaxed class even though they cover more subjects they do so less intensively."

The first year were potting on herbs in the greenhouse and were happy to be interrupted by visitors and explain what they were up to; Señora Fernandez was a keen gardener and was starting to get enthusiastic!

"I am perfectly reasonable at brewing any potion anyone might need" she said "And of course I use charms daily as a matter of course; I should have to brush up Transfigurations, but if I add Herbology and, let me see, History, that would be five."

"And perfectly reasonable and well rounded" said Jade. "And if too you want to send young goblins to get a more rounded education with me I'd be delighted; and ready to catch any up to the first year if you had any in mind."

They were good people; and it only went to show that doing a favour to someone, just because, could bring far reaching results!

The Upper First were settling down well. Jade and Wulf received good reports of most of them; and Wulf addressed the class and told them that if the five whose names he was about to read out continued as well, they would move into the second after half term, which would bring them on a par for three of them with their age group and give them the opportunity to study a wider curriculum. This was Cnebbic gan Morc of Berlin and his friend Vinz gan Doric; Valerie Müller and her friend Renate Haber; and the orphan Wanda Steck. Of the other two younger orphans, Martina Balzar was only just talented enough and might be wise to stay in a class that would take ZAPs; and Bric gan Sarric, who could easily have performed well enough, had not put enough in, especially as he was slapdash at potions and gave up easily in Arithmancy. Wulf told Bric that a little application might see him joining his fellows; but he was fairly certain he was fighting a losing battle.

The rest were to be brought on to take a ZAP in June and might then reasonably be expected to go on to ZP if the qualification was more or less in line with their age; Cnebbic and Wanda were a year old for the second but it did not matter that much. Many of the rest of the class were in the same boat, and one of the second already fifteen; and he, like Grelleg, was hoping for a remove after Yule. The children were all ready to work hard and put in extra hours; and the staff worked hard too and took extra classes for any who wanted them. Bric was an exception; but being excluded from a remove was enough to make him buck up his ideas and start to work. Bric would work for Bric; Jade disliked the child, though of course she concealed it; for he was rather selfish and not above copying the work of others to try to get ahead in an easier fashion, which had rather halted his development both for being caught out at it and having received as a result certain impositions of lines about honesty. He was a youth that Jade suspected of being very industrious over ways of being lazy.

His work might be sufficient to give him a remove at Yule but somehow Jade suspected he would never be better than an 'A' average student; if that, and only on the minimal subjects. Well, that would get him his wand; five ZAP subjects or three ZP's or four ZAP subjects with one at ZP was the rule to permit a goblin a wand on the continent.

And a few adults had worked hard enough that they would also be taking the exam as external students; Hunnic for one, and Geric and Torik from Munich and of course Taryn, Ihor Rebet's wife. And Franziska's Gennic was also going to put in the study.

Of those taking ZAP Jade had every intention of also putting in those with talent for the ZP in those subjects they excelled at; most of them were of ZP age and might then take one or two ZHs. The only one older was Gauda gan Garit, the girl she had first recruited from the orphanage; and Gauda had a strong will and had every chance of getting a couple of ZP's. She had no other career in mind and was good with children; and Jade planned her to be one of her first teachers in subsidiary schools. And most of the others who were fifteen rising sixteen were to try for at least one ZP. Jade did not care if the grades were poor; they might make up anything they had missed studying to ZH. The hours of work would seem relatively few compared to the six and a half day week they were putting in to bring their skills up to standard! And the orphan girl Martina need not take her ZAP with them, being a year younger, but might wait another year. She enjoyed quidditch and was an adequate player without being anything to write home about; and as a pleasant girl would do very well teaching sports to the children in the orphanage. Jade had every intention of introducing her to cricket and hurley to teach as well.

And she must also put together a quidditch team as Prince Peak had issued an invitation to a knock around match in the spring when the new school had had more of a chance to get a proper team playing. Martina was good enough to play on the team; and there were a number of children who were good enough that to showcase them made sense as soon as they had had the opportunity to play friendly games to get used to the idea. And to show them that brilliance was no substitute for good coaching.

And it might be worth while, once they had caught up academically, to pass some of her better players to Prince Peak where they might get the coaching they deserved from Viktor Krumm and Ron Weasley.

Her first priority was, however, to get the older ones through ZAP; and now she knew that Gauda and Magda would never be Arithmancers she might let them concentrate on what they found easier; in Gauda's case a discovered talent for Geomancy that was revealed in chatting with Valerie and Renate; and that was a relief since it mattered more for a goblin like Gauda to have five successful subjects; Magda had taken to Care of Beasts and negotiated that in lieu of Arithmancy; and Jade was considering exploiting the girl's beauty to give her a future by getting her flying competitively in point-to-point meetings of flying horses. As the girl was good at Transfigurations there was no reason she should not be a healer of magical beasts; perhaps with Biirta as a partner brewing appropriate potions, which she turned out to be good at. Unless Magda captivated some relatively well off young man who was prepared to ignore the fact of her being an impoverished orphan for her loveliness. Yes, getting her riding was a good idea either way. She seemed likely to fail potions at ZAP too, one of the compulsory subjects but a few ZPs would make up for that. There was less that might be done about the fact that Kole was poor at charms; as a goblin he needed that ZAP; that he was adding a sixth ZAP subject in enchanting – ridiculous in some respects that he could not cast a charm but could enchant an item – and was taking that and Ancient Runes as ZPs. Jade considered suggesting that enchanting, which WAS a core skill after all, might be substituted as one of the three compulsory subjects; or rather saying that three must be chosen from a list of four. It took into account the fact that some people found the release of their power through ritual to be easier than in one go.

The star of the class was undoubtedly Gunnar Heuvormund, the big-eared peasant boy from the local village; Gunnar showed such good skill that he was to take four ZPs along with his ZAP; and was another studying enchantment, though in his case in lieu of DADA. He was also taking chanting, having been much impressed by Jade's use of it in the village; and claiming to have a good pair of lungs for calling the cows home. He was glad, however, to leave care of any beasts behind; and Jade had high hopes of him. He was good at all the core subjects bar DADA and had a future ahead of him as a healer, especially if he pursued Chanting. And taking a total of six ZPs he was doing very well.

One worried more about the future of one's children when one was a headmistress – even the junior head – than when one was merely one of the teachers.

Gunnar was very happy. It helped that he was more than happy to work hard; being a country boy he was used to seeing all the hours of daylight as hours to work in. And schoolwork was, to his mind, infinitely less exhausting! Arithmancy came easily to him; what was the manipulation of numbers after all but a different application of working out the logistics of what was needed for the stock? And he had already used some transfigurations it seemed in healing those cattle that had hurt themselves; and in untwisting the guts of stupid horses that had got themselves twisted. Gunnar had never realised that using your will to sort things out was the same as casting spells; it was just what he did. Like brewing potions, that he had learned at the skirts of his grandmother, the one who did have magical powers. And Professor Luytens had told him that if he worked hard he might get good ZH exams too and have his choice of profession. To be a healer was attractive; not perhaps as dashing as a curse breaker, but he really could NOT find anything to be interesting in the study of the Dark Arts nor their defences; a good shield charm took care of most things and – as he had pointed out to Professor Mondschein – if you turned any dark wizard into a rabbit, then shot and ate it you'd have very little further trouble. It seemed a waste of his time to look into other defences, but he could concede that he seemed better at transfiguration than most. And it was the only subject that his half breed friend Ktell was good at; and Ktell was considering looking at a career as curse breaker's assistant; or pest control specialising in boggarts. Ktell had had no trouble getting a boggart back into its box; his boggart had been a big German human who wanted to hire his arse, and Ktell had dressed his boggart in frills and made him dance suggestively.

Kole was Gunnar's other friend; he had no problem about being friendly with goblins and half goblins. And Kole was also taking several ZP's, being good at DADA, if not quite in Ktell's class; and as Gunnar teased him, awkward enough to want to study subjects out of the core curriculum. Kole had shrugged and said that three good ZP's counted as well as five good ZAP's and if he was likely to fail the ZAP for his charms being shaky he wanted his wand.

Kazek gan Szark was perhaps the weakest of the ZAP students; but then all he wanted was enough to be able to bear wand, and be thereby a big man in the goblin streets, not teased for having his father do the menial job of being concierge to humans in a human building. Kazek considered becoming a big man in the goblin underworld; but that was risky. And might jeopardise the chances of his younger brothers and little sister if it was used against the idea of educating goblins. Kazek was no fool. He might however use his skill to do a little dealing between communities, something more shady than outright criminal; and he knew a goblin scrap dealer who would be likely to offer him a partnership for being able to use a wand to reveal precisely what he was dealing. He had no intention of staying on for what he saw as superfluous qualifications; he might leave that to his clever little brother Har and in future years to Gurz, now nine, and Iszta, just a moppet of five. And only book learning of any use to her, she being delicate, like Gatta, who would have been seven now if she had lived past her third birthday.

Of the girls, the one who struggled most was Shizue; dealing with an alien culture was an added handicap, not merely being muggleborn but also Japanese. The other girls were however friendly and kind if rather effusive. Shizue had however found that she was not alone in finding this difficult for Professor Von Strang had touched her on the arm and said quietly,

"Continentals, you know; less concept of privacy and personal space than we island dwellers."

Shizue had smiled in gratitude on Jade for understanding; and for making the effort to speak Japanese to her. With the intensive lessons – no worse than any Japanese cram school but harder than she had been used to in her ordinary high school – Shizue had no doubt that her hard work and diligence would give her a pass at the ZAP; and she would take three ZP's as well. She had proved exceptionally good at transfigurations and more than adequate at charms, and needed only the theory to match her practice; and whilst she had never counted arithmetic her favourite subject it translated well enough to Arithmancy and seemed to have more point to it as such. The ZAP pretty much equated to the level attained at Junior High School; she had moved to High School in April, and having a school year beginning in September seemed quite odd. However, if she could gain two or three ZH exams that would equate to the level she might expect as the Juken or entrance qualification to University education. The wizarding world had no universities however; post qualification study seemed to be undertaken as a personal matter. Shizue had promised to teach for Takeo Namudzu's Ryokkan when he set it up; an old fashioned concept, an academy, but tradition seemed a thing the wizarding world respected. If she had the opportunity it might be nice to study further in the school that held accredited post graduate study where he was to go next year; if he needed her sooner, then she could study from books and from the Sensei, that Namudzu-san would be. She might not show on paper as a well qualified student but that was because of the unfairness in not having been permitted to be a magical scholar earlier; and that was something she could help to put right.

Shizue mostly worked with Gauda, since Magda and Biirta were already friends; she had no preconceptions about goblins save what she knew from folk tales about oni, and Namudzu-san seemed to think the negative concepts in such tales quite irrelevant. As indeed seemed born out by Gauda, who was a good friend and very pleasant.

Gauda found Shizue compatible in being fairly driven herself; having been fortunate enough to have performed well the spell Professor Von Strang had tried to teach all the girls working in the nursery. Gauda had every intention of doing her best for Professor Von Strang and becoming a teacher to show other goblin children that it was possible. And she honoured Shizue's sponsor for wanting to bring fairness to another country too. Gauda did not lack nerve to carry out what she set her sights on; but was in no wise brash. It would stand her in good stead that too she copied her idol's, Jade's, air of quiet competence and dignity. Jade had long since found out that icy Malfoy hauteur got one further than raised voice; and that the assumption of the manner that you knew what you were doing – even on the odd occasion you were less than sure – usually meant that people gave you the respect of assuming that you did, and it all worked out fine. She had no idea how many little girls, human and goblin, covertly watched how she acted and walked, and how she dressed too, to copy as well as they might! Jade might have been uncomfortable to know just how much of a role model she was for the girls, as Wulf was for the boys; but accepted with a pleased smile the declaration from such as Gauda or indeed Wencelada, that they wanted to be a teacher like her, taking their desire to be a teacher as a calling and not realising in any wise that they just wanted to be like her!

Magda and Biirta were overjoyed to have the opportunity to be more than menials; Biirta would have liked the opportunity to have more education earlier but she planned to get all she could out of the time she was allowed. She was undecided about whether she would be a potioneer – perhaps a travelling potioneer like Frau Rebet who went around with Fraulein Hellibore healing – or whether she might teach and use the opportunity of being in a school to learn more too. Of course Frau Rebet had opportunity to learn and would be glad to have her scholarship recognised in taking exams this summer that she might carry a wand; even a half goblin had trouble in Germany. And she and Magda might make a healing team.

Magda liked the idea of working with Biirta; either healing animals or humans. She also took to riding as though she had been born in the saddle and was much excited to be entered into a Halloween meet near Munich, where she would ride the school Granian in a dressage event involving fancy footwork and wing work to show off his best points; and in an obstacle course race. Hermes – the horse was one Lucius had sold Jade cheaply for being too old for serious carriage work or the puissance events he favoured – missed competing and was also much heartened by the practise, even if he did give Magda an old fashioned look for the dressage moves she put him through. Hermes was used to more strenuous obstacles than a junior obstacle course, the puissance events requiring steep climbs in a short distance over magical barriers and dives under others; and sharp wingover turns and a distance on foot and marks given for smooth landing at the gallop and equally smooth takeoff after performing a trotting exhibition. Lucius had won several prizes on Hermes; and Gorbrin had learned to ride on him, and so was pleased that his old mount would teach goblin children as well as underprivileged humans. And more to the point, Lucius trusted Jade as an owner to whom to sell Hermes.

oOoOo

Riding Hermes and a couple of other dispirited nags Jade had got her hands on was one of the pleasures available for leisure periods; for the horses needed exercise, and any who longed to learn might do so under the instruction of Mischa and Vasilica and the occasional supervision of Jade, when she had time, or Ritter when he had time.

Ulvik could take riding or leave it alone; but Rainer really took to it and Ulvik was glad to ride to spend time with his little brother.

"Without wishing to be racist, riding is NOT a skill I'd associate with a goblin" said Ritter, himself a fine rider.

"You say that" said Jade "And then there's my cousin Gorbrin who is getting quidpolo reintroduced in England; and who rides well enough to come first or second in the point-to-points he enters in the hols to keep his hand in. Or is that his arse?" she added.

"You are coarse at times" said Ritter amicably.

"It goes with being horsey" said Jade. "My sister rides more than I do; a question of not being able to do everything I suppose. It's fun but I'm not about to fuss about going to every meeting. Why don't you take on Magda as a special project? I think she's bright enough to be brought on to do point-to-point but I thought simple obstacles and dressage was about her limit this time; and Hermes skilled enough that her lack of experience won't show."

Ritter nodded.

"Yes; a wise decision. That horse knows his stuff. Where DID you get the other nags?"

"Poor things, they were pulling a hire carriage in Berlin; your excellent cousin threatened to break the wheels and insert them spokes first into the cabbie for whipping them. He bought them – paid more than their worth of course – in my name on the principle that we'd need horses to be cared for. And at that they look better than they did; I thought perhaps when they've had a good rest and plenty of feed, we might let them pull a lightweight buggy and teach the children that show affinity for it to drive a pair. It's better than no experience, and even if the idea of using enchanted muggle flying machines catch on in a big way there will always be those who like the cachet of horses; even if, as with muggles, horse drawn transport becomes no more than a sport."

"That's the pair that hired out in Berlin? You HAVE done wonders with them; I've thought often enough about buying them out myself. They must be twelve years old easily; and looked half as old again."

"Yes, so Mischa reckons from their teeth" said Jade. "Well, we have our riding coach it seems; and your charms classes can set up obstacles too."

Ritter brightened.

"Good thinking!" he said. "Getting them doing something real would help no end I think; and the idea that they can help out Magda to represent the school will also spur them on!"

As two of his third years were poor at charms, and only Reiner Kurtz made up for that with brilliance it might yet work to give the other two incentives. The slowly rotating hovering gates that the horses must negotiate in obstacle races were perfect examples of both the hovering charm and a complex locomotor charm.

oOoOo

As to other sports, Jade had put together a quidditch team with Grelleg as seeker; he was captain of sports and was willing to learn about horsey sports as well as hurley and quidditch; but would not put himself forward for seeker without Jade telling him firmly that he should play that position.

"I used to play seeker, for my house in Hogwarts and then for Prince Peak School and then for Durmstrang too" said Jade firmly "So I jolly well know what qualities we're looking for and you have them. Your brother as beater? I know he's slight, but he has an accurate swing."

Grelleg nodded.

"I should play Martina as the other beater; she's not as good as some of the players but she's phlegmatic. A beater ought to be phlegmatic" he said.

"Agreed; excitable ones lose matches with unintentional fouls and by failing to guard their seeker from the opponents" said Jade "Getting caught up in swiping matches."

Grelleg nodded.

"Cnebbic is really good; he could play seeker too" he said "What about keeper? It gives him the opportunity to use his individual skill. He's learning to broomsurf as I am."

"It really is a good skill for a keeper to have" said Jade "Seeker too when reaching for the snitch, so long as you take account of the incoming bludgers; it's a precarious position! You and he should swap positions from time to time in practice; actually it does a team no harm to play the odd practice by choosing a position out of a hat. We did that in Slytherin House and it made us no end more appreciative of the game of others. Who would you play as chasers?"

"Valerie Müller, Witlac gan Jokel, and Safraxa gan Beric" said Grelleg without hesitation.

"See how easy it is when you just have to picture who's best?" said Jade "You won't have any trouble picking teams from now on I reckon; pity we haven't a big enough school to get a reasonable first fifteen for hurley too. Still, that will pick up; and random softball six-a-side games in the Hall in bad weather will increase interest."

"Who will the quidditch team practise against?" asked Grelleg "I'm rather afraid it's a case of 'and the rest' with dire faces for the remainder of the school."

"The staff will put a team together; several of us have been capped for our schools" said Jade. "Professor Kesselring is a fine keeper; I'm a seeker; Professors Mondschein and Black-Weasley played chaser; Professor Elstrup played beater; Professor Grindler was always reserve but he plays a fair beater, and Professor Breuer was I believe a chaser in her time. That should do for opposition for you laddie; what we lack in practise we make up for in experience. And we'll all have to turn out to give you a game of hurley and only Professors Bane, Black-Weasley and me with any idea!" she grinned.

Grelleg thought the staff absolutely wonderful to be prepared to turn out to help the school teams improve!

oOoOo

The staff, many of them not so far removed from being schoolchildren themselves, were actually delighted to have the chance to sport on brooms and play a game or several against their best pupils. In the event, Ulrich Grindler and Mortimer Bane took turns playing the extra beater, each having been in the second team or held as reserve under school rules that permitted a player to be substituted at any time before the starting whistle or by prior arrangement during a match. Inter-school matches were played under international rules where no substitution was permitted. Of course most professional teams had second string players for most positions to start the match with so long as the name was published twenty four hours in advance according to convention. It was to stop any chicanery over betting; that no team be able to influence betting by declaring a particular line up and then changing it at the last minute. The school rules had a more practical reason; to take into account such things as teenage problems like a period starting for the first time. Not to mention detentions. For dire mischief, being the house quidditch star would NOT prevent a detention; which might not be known by the team captain in advance, depending on the crass stupidity of the team star. Or indeed, in some schools at some times, the vindictive nature of some members of staff.

And Jade was keen to stay as close to international rules as possible since quidditch might be the only way out of grinding poverty for some of her pupils.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Before they knew where they were, Halloween was upon them; and the body of the school given two newspapers, a reel of muggle masking tape, string and permission to use any colour changing charms and minor personal jinxes but no other spells to make themselves costumes. It had been a competition run at Prince Peak and Jade thought it an excellent one to test the ingenuity. If the best they could come up with was a cape made of newspaper and the use of _densaugeo_ to grow the teeth to be vampires it was still something that they must think about; and to try to aim at the eye teeth. She took Magda to the Munich children's gymkhana meeting; and on consideration took Rainer too as he would enjoy watching.

Naturally his eyes strayed wistfully to the small children on flying ponies; especially the small boy his own age with the almost glowing white neatly built pony, that was in many ways lither than many of the other ponies.

"That's a Pegasus pony or Pegasan; smaller than most flying horses and so counting as a pony for its size class" said Jade "And by description the young man riding him is Falk Kesselring, brother of our own Ritter."

Hearing his name and his older half brother's the youth turned and looked enquiringly. Jade smiled.

"Yes I am taking your name in vain" she said "Name's Nefrita Von Strang und Luytens; your brother may have mentioned me."

The child's eyes widened and he clicked his heels punctiliously.

"But of course! And you try a most brave experiment that he aids with of educating goblins and the muggleborn; he writes that it goes well. You have then pupils competing?" He tried not to sound surprised.

"One pupil; Magda here. This is my adopted son Rainer who's the same age as you; I expect he'll be competing in the future, so no doubt you'll see a lot of each other" said Jade "We haven't chosen a pony for him yet. Do you find that the Pegasans are sturdy enough in the German climate?"

"Sleipnir is a little delicate; but I take good care of him" said Falk.

"I would let the smaller pupils ride a pony of mine so I shouldn't want a pony that was delicate" said Rainer, almost pugnaciously.

"That's my good generous boy" said Jade "Obviously we will supervise closely to see that none spoil his mouth. I'm rather inclined to the Steppe Pony myself; or a half breed with non flying ponies. They may be less good as breeding stock but there IS a hybrid vigor."

"Papa reckons a steppe pony crossed with a Przewalski's horse is about as sturdy as you can get" volunteered Falk "Sleipnir belonged to a boy who was ill treating him so of course papa went out of his way to get him to sell. He's very good at dressage and obstacles but a little temperamental over point-to-point. I love him very much" he added defiantly.

"Of course; and the more because you have rescued him" said Jade "Two of our mounts at school were rescued from a hire cab; your cousin Albricht er…. Threatened the owner until he sold."

Falk beamed.

"Good for cousin Albricht! I say, I do look forward to meeting properly, Rainer; but I have to go, we're being called to line up."

Rainer shook the gloved hand thrust out to him.

"He doesn't seem as stuck up as he looks" he volunteered.

"Well I doubt Professor Kesselring would permit a small brother of his to be stuck up" said Jade "I'm glad he acquired the Pegasan in dubious circumstances though, not just for show. I'm inclined to agree with his papa's views though; what do you think?"

Rainer considered.

"I would like, please, if I am to have a pony a clever one that can recognise my whistle and come for it."

Jade nodded.

"I should think a steppe pony cross would do the job" she said. "There goes Falk; let's see him do his stuff!"

The Pegasan was a pretty pony that made all the dressage movements perfectly with more grace than some of the frankly dumpy ponies performing with, some of them, little riders whose chubby legs stuck out sideways and might be almost more a comedy turn than a performance of grace and elegance. Jade had never had much interest in children's gymkhanas; but at just fifteen it was a good way for Magda to start.

As her age class was last it also meant that Magda had a chance to watch the other children and see the sort of things that were expected, and what earned marks and what did not. Jade thought, looking at the opposition, that the girl actually stood a chance of scoring fairly well; since she did a lot more than sit on the back of Hermes and let him get on with it as one girl quite plainly did with her experienced horse; nor did she cram him as one of the boys did; nor was he nervy and inclined to shy as did the mount of another competitor. Jade saw her into the competitor's enclosure with the last minute advice,

"If uncertain, take Hermes' advice; he's done it before!" to which Magda managed a shy grin.

oOoOo

Hermes was quite plainly enjoying himself and showed off outrageously in the dressage.

"Did you train him yourself, young lady?" asked a judge.

"No sir; he trained me" said Magda. The judge hid a smile as those who could hear her laughed. Magda added "He was trained by Herr Lucius Malfoy in England but I've been keeping up his training and if I don't remember it in the right order he nips gently so I have no excuse for not performing up to his standard."

"An excellent horse; and may I say a good young rider that has been well trained by her mount" said the judge. He pinned a red ribbon on Hermes' bridle; and Magda gasped and beamed! She and Hermes had taken second at the dressage, beaten only by an expensive looking girl with a showy pegasan she was only just small enough for still.

Next was the obstacle course; which Hermes lost at the last minute by trying to show off with fancy wing work, and consequently fluffed the last obstacle and lost time points.

They came in third; which had been better than Jade had expected. Hermes looked years younger for it.

"Well old boy, Lucius was a bit quick at putting YOU out to grass!" laughed Jade, petting the handsome Granian's nose.

"It was well ridden" the condescending girl with the Pegasan said to Magda "You are new to the circuit; you are perhaps English?"

"No; I am German" said Magda "I have only recently taken up riding since I am now at school to take ZP's. Hermes is one of the school horses."

"What? That's hard to believe that Lucius Malfoy would sell one of his horses to ANY school; he's dreadfully picky" said the girl.

"But then" said Jade gently "As I, his niece, am the one who runs the school with my husband, am the effective owner, this makes a difference."

The girl stared, having taken Jade for a child by her height and so not having looked closely.

"His niece? I don't believe I've met you" she said.

"And you aren't free of Malfoy Manor or you would have done" said Jade "Also you are not at Durmstrang where I have taught for a year before opening my own school."

"**I ** have a tutor; I don't need to go away to school" said the girl with a toss of her head "And that makes you Nefrita Von Strang who wastes time on goblins and lowborns; well I'm sorry now to have talked to whatever THAT is" she said.

Jade smiled genially.

"SHE is a very good rider; and on the adult circuit you just gave her every reason to improve enough to make you look very silly, you nasty little blood snob" she said "You need a good spanking; pity you didn't go to Durmstrang, you might have had a few corners knocked off you. And the both of you better get ready for the final parade."

Jade was angry; but not to the extent that she forgot the harsh penalties for an adult to jinx or harm a minor. Such strictures did NOT however apply to their mounts; and though it was a mild discomfort to put the Pegasan to, Jade cast a spell that would do no lasting harm; then with due consideration let fly with another.

The Pegasan flew around the circuit and stopped to bow before the judges with its simpering rider utterly unaware that her pony was both extremely flatulent and that the flatulence was fluorescing. It would wear off too before she WAS aware of it more than likely; Jade had not made the horse too windy. It would have been unfair to the poor thing.

It cheered Magda up no end; as did being reminded that she had beaten the other girl – just – in the obstacle race.

oOoOo

Back in school, costumes were being turned out with more or less facility.

The third were celebrating that they had two new members, Grelleg and Ervig having been deemed to have worked hard enough for a remove at the same time as the new members of the second – which also meant that the second would have only eleven members in it until Bric earned HIS remove and so be less unwieldy – and decided to come as a giant. Reiner and Herman were both built – in Jade's idiom – like brick shithouses – and Jurgen was slight; so they balanced Ervig and Grelleg on the shoulders of the two beefy boys and Jurgen held by the two goblins, covered in a raggedy tunic of newspaper and a wild hairdo of torn newspaper charmed black. The tunic was a moss green.

The costume was simple; practising moving inside it took all day.

The obvious costumes were hags and vampires; which attracted the uninspired. Cnebbic used rolled paper for horns and came as an erumpant, together with horrid noises such that he fondly believed an erumpant to make; Renate persuaded Valerie to come with her as sun and moon with a lot of paper folding; and Liesel Bredel proved she had a classical education in her muggle school by coming as Hecate, with a cunningly constructed chiton made with pleated paper. Shizue made a paper beak and tightly rolled claws for her feet to be a tengu; and Ktell, Gunnar and Kole got together in paper drag to be the Norns.

In the first, Ulvik suggested half laughing that Mava should be Circe and he, Lurtz and Klemens should be her swine; and as Mava thought this a jolly good idea they decided to implement it, asking Liesel advice about Greek costume. Liesel was happy to help; it was nice to be able to tell people born of the wizarding world something. Fortunately Lurtz knew how to fold a cup out of a square of tree bark that worked equally well with newspaper to make a pig's snout each that they tied on with string; and caps with ears of paper attached. They rolled paper very tight and curled for tails and used masking tape to wrap themselves in paper that was charmed pink. With paper and time left over, Ulvik came up with the idea of making four more paper cups each turned black to be little trotters; but they gave up on making Circe a paper cauldron.

It was a little difficult to guess what either Viva or Didi were supposed to be so covered with tape and messy were their respective creations.

Torschik and his twin Saxburra had got together to be a tree – with Saxburra sitting on her twin's shoulders and fastened in once up there – with Emilia in a short tunic made of newspaper leaves cut out and applied to a paper under tunic and charmed each one to a different shade of green to be their dryad. They had cut two complete newspapers into leaves and coloured them in four separate groups to get the colour variation and used half on the tunic and half on the tree, attached to a hat with rolled paper branches worn by Saxburra. Manfred, assuring everyone that this was such a kid's game it would be easy to be original was one of the vampires; and Abert had used paper folding as a base for papier-mâché to give himself a pumpkin head as Jack o' lanterns, with raggedy newspaper clothing like a scarecrow.

There were to be no prizes this year; all the children were from depressed backgrounds and giving prizes might be unfair to those not encouraged before to think for themselves. There WERE toffees all round as well as toffee apples and snapdragon to bob for, and apples in a tub and other silly but enjoyable party games. Teaching these children to have a good time was part of the curriculum after all.

And after a holiday filled with silly games they would return to their work with a renewed vigour.

oOoOo

Using games as part of lessons also worked well; and the ancient runes and geomancy games were almost ready for publication.

Bertel decided to ring the in his first year runes class and played 'I packed my bag and in it I put….' In Ancient Greek; by making them write up on the board each of them what had been put in the bag; then after reading it out erasing it for the memory game to proceed around the class. He varied direction of course for fairness; including starting in the middle and moving in an approximate spiral about the room.

It taught no end of vocabulary, even if there were some strange things packed in the bag, like a cauldron, a spear and a tree alongside more conventional things like a pair of dice, a wand, a Phrygian hat and a pair of sandals. And what the owl might have thought of being packed in a bag was anyone's guess as he told the staffroom later.

"Probably have considered it a hoot" said Leo; and got poked by sundry other blooded.

Jade grinned.

"Don't make the same mistake Hercule Maxime made when he let us do an extempore acting of the assassination of Caesar in Latin and I drew Caesar; and smart arse here happens to know that actually the old boy did NOT say 'et tu Brute?' as Shakespeare will have it; because cultured Romans spoke Greek and what he actually said was 'kai su teknon?', you too, my child? so I completely confused the rest of the class by being accurate not traditional in my dying gasp."

"Well you would" said Traudl "And QUITE aware you were sabotaging everyone else. Probably overacting like mad too."

"Right's right though" said Jade.

"It's what makes her the excellent chanter she is" said Wulf "That insistence on detail."

oOoOo

The castle was now fairly isolated by storms and snow; and quidditch was abandoned until such odd fine day might permit it. Instead the children were to be taught dancing, which was met with dubious looks.

"Dancing is good healthful exercise as will keep you all fit to study better" said Jade "Otherwise when you get let out in spring the lot of you will look like you've been doing a spell in Nurmengard, all pasty and flabby because they don't actually treat their prisoners very well any more than Azkaban does. At least nobody is expecting you to go to a Yule Ball as is the case in Durmstrang, Prince Peak, Hogwarts and Beauxbatons; though if you SHOULD end up going to such I wager you'd not like to feel like a total prune for not knowing what to do! And before the question how that might happen gets asked, I shall answer it – if we happen to be engaged in a triwizard competiton when all the contenders get to attend the Yule Ball of the host school AND a celebration ball afterwards too and jolly tedious it is, I can tell you, having to do the polite to people you want to jinx into a ball. But that's only my take on it."

"I rather enjoyed it when I was one of the contenders from Hogwarts" said Mortimer mildly. "I got to meet my wife there."

Anett, now very visibly pregnant, blushed prettily.

"I too enjoyed it" she said "And I also enjoyed the aftermath where Professor Von Strang had not entirely contained her instincts to jinx and otherwise irritate some of the less savoury elements. The joy of Heinrich Nachtigall's floating fundament is a thing to savour."

"Dirigible fart curse" said Jade "And that diminutive fag of his declaring fatuously and quite unnecessarily as he dragged the horrid fellow into the hall on a string that Herr Nachtigall was floating…..delicious! and thoroughly reprehensible" she added. "But you see, being able to dance has its moments; and I wager Professor Bane is glad that his Guardian drilled him ruthlessly."

"Indeed I am" said Mortimer. "It also came in handy for the footwork necessary for Hogwarts' pupils tendency to treat duelling as a body contact sport; and it can help with broom surfing for increasing the balance and again footwork, and I HAVE seen a neat waltz step performed to outmanoeuvre a tackle in hurley. Which was, of course, Gorbrin Malfoy, who in common with all Malfoys has to be a showman" he added.

"He and Draco reckon it's also useful for swordplay" said Jade. "So I don't want to hear any crap about dancing being sissy; since my cousins Draco and Gorbrin both take it very seriously. We shall be learning three types of dancing; formal ballroom – just in case – human country dancing and goblin country dancing. As I understand it there are very few differences in the two latter but I think it would be interesting to compare and contrast. We'll have teachers from country communities in to teach us. The Headmaster and I will teach you ballroom dancing with help from such as the other staff who did NOT have two left feet at school. Nobody expects you to be good at this; just to have fun and take good exercise. When you're proficient enough at dancing you shall learn martial arts; unarmed fighting techniques. The ECC has been studying some of these already; we'll teach you enough to deal with any unpleasant situation – for example how to escape, you girls, from a man who's got too fresh; and for all of you how to get away from, say, a muggle who wants to know what this 'funny business' is that is our art – without hurting him or using wand so you cannot be accused of muggle baiting. We shall also spend some leisure time running six-a-side softball hurley games. You are all required for your health to join in one hour and a half session once a week; otherwise you may please yourselves as with quidditch and outdoor games. Now this wet Saturday evening we're going to play shipwrecks; which means we have two chasers, who are Biirta and Cnebbic because they're the first two I laid eyes on; and the rest of you have to get about the hall escaping them without putting your feet to the floor; and we're about to move the tables around and get some judicious kit in to help you out. Have fun; try not to injure yourselves!"

The new regimen of exercise was more fun than the school had expected; and if the pupils were expected to behave as little gentlemen and ladies for ballroom dancing, ham acting as part of that was permitted as part of the fun. Ulvik studied assiduously and talked his marauders into doing so too; since if they DID get a crack at a Triwizard it was worth while not being shown up as uncultured in front of Durmstrang pupils. Besides, his mum and dad were part of the social elite in England; it really behoved him not to show them up.

Rather like being able to ride adequately; even if he never really took to it.

Ulvik, as it happened, found himself a fairly good dancer and enjoyed it more than he might have expected; and he was much in demand, for ballroom dancing quite took off as a sport for the girls, except Mava and Elva but only he, Torschik and Manfred were any good or in any way interested! Emilia was really very good, and Jade promised that if they could find her a partner to match she should do competition when she was a little older if she wished.

It was another way to gain employment for one of their children; plenty of families hired dancing teachers to prepare their family jewels for Yule balls.

The partner she found was Gunnar Heuvermund who was remarkably light on his feet for a farm boy; and though his school work was a priority all work and no play made any jack a dull boy and Gunnar was willing to give Emilia a decent partner.

As Magda was also a fair dancer as well as a fine horsewoman Jade had every hope of making her a respectable marriage, which was more likely to make her happy than having to carve a career for herself. Biirta would enjoy the challenge and be ready to fight her corner against those who despised her for being an orphanage brat; it would hurt lovely, gentle Magda.

And actually Jade had some unattached males in mind; Ritter for one, who took his riding seriously; his cousin Albricht, her law consultant; and for that matter her factor, Ruprecht Schutzmann. They might escort the girls and partner them when Jade brought them out after they had finished their schooling; as they would still be effectively her wards. Biirta would enjoy the parties with the sort of malicious glee any Malfoy would; and if Gorbrin and Meliandra were not joined at the hip, Jade might have considered Biirta as a suitable mate for her cousin.

The craze for dancing did not catch on as powerfully in the upper school as it did in the first, however; though Shizue liked to watch. Ballroom dancing was big in Japan but Shizue had, as she confessed, two left feet and it irritated her sense of perfection such that she preferred to see something well done than to do it badly herself. Jade set her to choreographing dances for Gunnar and Emilia instead; which pleased Shizue mightily.

It may also be said that those who took to dancing tended to be those that Helmut Hastläufer did NOT want to strangle; because they had at least a sense of rhythm that made them adequate chanters if not perhaps very musical; and Helmut told Grelleg that he should stick to chanting and leave music to those who did not try to turn 'Für Elise' into a route march. Grelleg was not displeased. Jade had wanted all her pupils to have a basic musical education alongside their chanting to pick out those who had any musical ability, whether only enough to train as part of their chanting, or enough to build a career upon. Similarly she had art materials available in the common rooms for any to use; but again none had any particular talent though many did like to draw for their own amusement; so it was well worth while having it available for personal development purposes.

It was in some ways odd, and yet rather pleasant, as Jade said, not to have all the trials and tribulations of young people agitating over who to take to the ball; and at least that meant this half of the term was not to be swamped in such silliness and the chances of getting them all to concentrate was a lot higher. They were unlikely too to have any of the usual bad weather japes; though in a way Jade regretted that for it displayed a woeful lack of frivolity and creative naughtiness. She was quite relieved when the marauders used a clever chant to disrupt a waltz with polka music issuing from the feet; and set them the impot of copying out the correct placement of the feet from Victor Sylvester's useful little book.

It meant more copies too to pass around new dancers which would be helpful.

Ulvic, being imaginative, spent some of his detention time carving up a couple of school bungies – a somewhat unorthodox use of erasers – to be solid [male] and empty [female] feet to print the impot; and Jade had to applaud his lateral thinking and asked him to do a few more so she could make more instruction sheets.

Ulvik grinned happily.

This led to a new bad weather craze; with pocket money being spent on bungies to carve into flowers and birds and patterns with which to decorate notebooks; and Jade bought bungies and craft knives and distributed them freely telling them not to make too much of a mess, and that included bleeding on things. She had to show them how to sharpen the muggle knives by breaking off each section of blade to get an new sharp point; and the goblins in particular were torn between admiration at such ingenuity and shock at the profligacy.

With Yule approaching, one of the things Jade suggested was that the children make Christmas gifts for their families and friends; and ran a sewing class – with Elva paid scrupulously as her helper – and helped the children make little bags or simple garments or pin cushions; and they paid for their materials with the extra chores Yuletide brought. Boys paid similarly for exercise books to cut in half that would form two notebooks and thus two gifts, covered neatly – or in some cases otherwise – with paper printed with bungie, or potato prints. For the parents of most of those who had parents the real gift was that their children were to be getting an education; but any child from a loving home likes to give presents to their parents.

Those who felt less creative took the suggestion that Jade made of gathering goose quills from the village – and checking if they were left-handed or right handed as it DID matter and she would always be happy to tell them – and use their new found skills with charms in colouring them; solid colour for those less adept, and the more advanced students might try colour gradations. This was only Reiner Kurtz, Grelleg gan Schenik – who wanted this gift for Jaromir Frolik, his sponsor – and Gunnar Heuvormund. Anyone else who took up this idea stuck to plain colour quills. Some of the colours were quite exotic; but that was the whole point. They had the skill to MAKE something quite exotic.

Naturally it was Ulvik who came up with the idea of cutting a stencil and charming the piece of quill you could see through it. By which means, and with a lot of patience, he managed to make a mock peacock feather for Wulf and was hiding it with excitement. He had printed a music stave notebook with bungie musical notes for Rainer; and printed scribbling pads for the three little ones. And he had swallowed pride to ask Elva to help him to sew a pen case for Jade, helping her with carved bungies in return to print items for her family. And as his friends had quills as prizes for the competition to help Viva, he laboriously blanket stitched round pen wipers for each of them.

There were end of term exams; the staff wanted to know exactly how far on their pupils were, and whether any of the accelerated students in particular were likely to need an extra year's study. They had covered in their excess time and few subjects much of what might be expected for half way through the third year, for not hanging about on the earlier learning processes; and some were further ahead in some subjects. That would show up in essay questions.

As some had been functionally illiterate when they started, and had needed to have reading and writing taught to them by magic, never the most efficient way, in the same way as it was not the best way to learn a foreign language without further study, they were doing well to write coherent essays.

And Jade reminded those who would find themselves at school for an extra year past their chronological age that there were those pupils in other schools who had been held down for one reason or another, usually illness; like a child called Walter at Hogwarts who had been so badly cursed before he got to school that he spent almost two years recovering; and that though he could probably get his remove back to his own age was so happy with the friends he had made that he was not that bothered; and was in fact looking upon it as an opportunity to taste some of the childhood the curse had robbed him of.

"Stupid unobservant parents before you ask" added Jade "Being rich does not necessarily go with being clever; alas, too often the reverse. But it shows that those of you who are below your age are not unknown in any school. And then there are people like me who decided I could do the rest of the fourth year work and the first term of fifth year over a Yule holiday to be with my friends. Well I got a good crop of OWLs so I managed it; and my kid sister is up two years before her age because she's clever enough to make a flaming pest of herself until the old folk capitulated. Age is a relative thing. Some kids are ready and able too to go away to boarding school at nine years old – Lilith being a case in point – others are homesick still at sixteen. You can't make hard and fast rules. You'll get your results before the holidays because we're going to work as hard as you have all been doing to be sure and not leave you on tenter hooks. Meanwhile, you may spend the last few days at a relaxed level, decorating the hall and making sweeties to take home with you."

It was a gift from the school to families that the last day was spent uproariously in the making of sweeties; and bagging them up into little net bags for every junior member of every family. Every orphan in the orphanage would also have a bag of sweeties; they would not be left out. And if some of the sweeties were a little stickier than usual or lopsided, having them made by the school children would probably more than make up for that.

oOoOo

And then at supper, which was to be a feast, Wulf rose to make announcements about the exams.

"Everyone is keeping up with the standard they have set themselves" he said "Bric gan Sarric, you have earned your remove into the second; Safraxa gan Beric and Liesel Briedel will commence classes in other studies than the five basics after Yule to suit you to join the third year fully after the end of the academic year. I'm sure other members of the third will let you read their notes. You will be studying care of beasts, herbology, history and enchantment in addition to the five subjects you are working on, in which you are entirely caught up with the third and will have those lessons with them from now on. The other subjects will give you a taster and at half term you may choose which, if any, you wish to pursue to ZP level. Martina Balzar, you're a year younger than the rest of the accelerator class, you will move with Safraxa and Liesel for administrative purposes with extra remedial classes to help you to the level of ZAP not this coming examination year but the next. If you then wish to take ZPs building on that the staff are ready to advise. Everyone has done very well; now enjoy your end of term feast, because first thing tomorrow you'll be back home and we shall be sending someone to collect each group on the second of January. Have a good holiday; and remember we shall be taking in your wands before you go home to make sure nobody goads anyone into something silly."

Ulvik started a cheer for his dad and the staff; and then they fell to on the sumptuous Christmas fare.

And every child with siblings would also be taking home a Christmas box of extra food according to the size of their family; because it was a way of helping in the community by helping feed a few families a bit more.

It would be queer, reflected Ulvik, to have eleven full days without work; and yet he would be doing something because he would be helping with his blood bond with the big ritual chant to free house elves all across Europe.

And that was a scary level of ritual too; and he knew that mum and dad were just a little nervous about the whole affair. And he would get to meet blood siblings from all over; and feel others; and meet the scary and impressive figure that was his adoptive grandfather, Severus Snape.

And when all the children had been seen home, or taken back to the orphanage temporarily, the greater number of the staff apparated smoothly with Wulf, Jade and their children to Prince Peak school, where one might look down on the clouds from the sharp summit of a mountain in bright sunshine! And Severus Snape and his three wives – one of them seeming half elven! – were there to embrace and greet new grandchildren and to be treated by Ralph to a big hug and a demand to be thrown up.

And there were aunts and uncles – many much younger than him – and the famous Lilith who grinned and asked whether they'd be rivals in a Triwizard someday; and everyone was talking at once and it was wonderful.

He was one who was to be staying in the castle, feeding power; while older youths helped in one respect or another; and Lilith had talked her way into being one of the chanters and a primary chanter too – whatever that meant – for being so good.

It was scary; but OH! It was wonderful too!


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Jade was glad of a chance to see all her siblings and her parents and catch up properly – if briefly – on news; and she was also decidedly nervous about the chant. She had done it before; and this was potentially harder.

And yet maybe not. There were thirty six primary chanters; one every ten degrees in a circle about the European sub continent; and they had decided to go for one hellish chant instead of several moderately hellish ones. And that meant that North Africa would be covered too, in order to fit in Spain; and some of them required to be in the Sahara which would make life harder. Enchanted tents with cooling and moisturising charms on them had been arranged for that venue; and tents with warming charms for those on the coast of the Barents Sea. Lucius had seen to all that. Fortunately the circle worked even if one moved in from the edge, so nobody had to squat in the sea. It would cover England again, of course; but it was the only way to cover Spain. The circle would not take in all of Russia either; indeed it would not even reach the Ural Mountains. But that could not be helped. It was an outsize undertaking as it was. Which was why there were as many secondary chanters to start – at the south-eastern side of the circle – or take over – at the south-western side – so that no chanters were chanting for more than eight hours. It was four time zones; which made the total length of chant twelve hours long, which also accounted for the different lengths of day and night from within the arctic circle to the subtropics. The most northerly chanters would have no daytime at all but must still fulfil the full twelve hours chant aided by their secondaries who would take on the extra four hours.

THIS time they were making use of two excellent muggle devices; intravenous drip for a continuous fluid supply; and motorman's friends, including the unwieldy but usable female version. It would render the chant less unpleasant. And each chanter would as before have an attendant elf to squirt fluid into the mouth to stop it drying rather than having to try to replenish the fluids. And it had been fluid loss that had made them so ill before. It made Severus less chary about including some fifth years – and Lilith – in the chanting; though none of them as primaries, bar Lilith. And one could not afford to leave Lilith out.

It had been done last time with a circle of twelve and an inner circle of as many; and this time the greater number to account for the vast swathe of land they must cover. And some of those who had formed the second circle before now amongst the primaries; herself included. Lucius was the only primary not of the blood group and he was to have the strongest secondary in the person of Sirius to take his four hour shift in the middle; Lucius was the better chanter, Sirius had the blood link. A four hour rest between two four hour stints would make all the difference. And there would too be supporters, people to just smile, or replenish water, check the intravenous; those of the group who were goblins for example; and galling it was to be deprived of Gorbrin, Senagra and Kinat and Ellie, some of the better chanters around; but closer to the fey. As were the elves, Polly and Mimi, Beloc and Sirri. It might not matter; but if it did, it would waste another whole year. Mortimer had sufficiently low amounts of goblin blood that as a secondary, especially in the arctic circle, it should be all right; and he would chant with Elsie Blackwood too, who was still not physically strong but there as a second secondary to counteract his goblin blood. There were also those who did not chant; Grace had never learned, and Ron could not manage to keep the rhythm; and there were those of Lionel's group who would be along to help out as Lionel, Ross and Heather were to be chanting. Jade's own secondary was Wulf; a strong chanter if not as good as some; and they were somewhere in Russia with precious little more than love as Jade put it. All of them with Malfoy blood – herself, Lydia, Lilith, Krait, Hawke, Abraxus, Sephara and – though Abraxus' sacrifice – Myrtle, Lucius and Draco – and those of part fey blood – Seagh and Traudl, the latter included as a primary for that reason – were distributed evenly around the circle. There was a difference magically between the lowfey forced into particular forms like goblins and elves, their being having been controlled by the highfey, and those of highfey blood that had bred into human lines and chosen the human way. And it irked Mimi no end, for one, and Jade listened patiently to her angry little sister, eyes snapping black fire, declaring that she was well powerful enough to overcome any damned fey glitch.

Which she might well be; but as Jade pointed out, suppose it left a loophole that meant it only partially worked?

"You mean the ruddy fey built in a 'thou shalt not free yourselves' clause?" said Mimi.

"I don't know; but do you put it past them?" asked Jade "You see that Darryl does his bit; bless the boy he hasn't done as much as the rest of us, he NEEDS you; and nothing to stop you chanting along with him as encouragement so long as HE is the primary of the node."

Mimi nodded, somewhat pacified; she was still angry but it was primarily directed towards the fey rather than at Severus for being over cautious.

And at least she might feed power to the chanters in her blood group; as would all the younger ones not included and the older ones who were helping out by checking each group. Several parents might wonder if there was some kind of infection going around with children unwontedly quiet and tired; but the younger marauders and supporters would hate to be left out. And they could be a real help; for without their boost the chant was an exhausting matter. It was bad enough WITH help, even with enough fluids. And Severus must chant the whole twelve hours. He had, however, devised for this time a chant for himself as the central controller that took advantage of the new research into music in magic that allowed him to make part of his chant a drummed pattern to rest his voice. And Randolph had painted a pattern of magnification of effect for him to stand on; and one of pain relief for Clovis to lie on for when Tildi took the twelve drops of his heart's blood. Tildi, as a member of the blood group, was less nervous than Dobby had been; and she knew that all her blood kid would be with her.

Severus had chosen the time of sacrifice to be noon in his central location, Durmstrang School; it was as good a choice as any. Jade certainly could not fault it.

And they were away six hours before they must start the chant, to account for any unforeseen events – like a group of giants wanting to camp on the chanting site, or a Bedou war taking place or reindeer on the rampage.

Fortunately there were no such distractions – or if there were, nobody was feeling unduly disconcerted by them – and Jade settled down with Wulf and their chosen elf, Beloc, and her apporting helper Hunnic, to await the time, taking such rest as they might.

There had been a slight altercation over elves, since Dobby had felt he ought to be with Lucius perhaps and Kreacher had made a fuss that Sirius was the secondary and he belonged with Sirius. Lucius had hugged Dobby and told him that he knew that he wanted more to be with Harry; and had averted trouble. Harry had two helpers; Fred Weasley to apport, and Dudley Dursely who would not be left out for anything. As a muggle he was only of moral support; but that was a help too. Charlotte had stayed at home to look after children; but Harry could not deny Dudley the chance to do more to make up for the years the big muggle had treated his wizarding cousin so badly. And he could take one of the tasks of the helpers; make sure to wake and feed the chanter who was to start to make sure they had as good a start as possible. Severus would blood pulse all the primaries – and Sirius – for the precise starting moment and they would synchronise blood. Sirius would begin with Lucius too to make sure they were all in harmony; and would correct him if he drifted off timing.

oOoOo

And then Hunnic was shaking Jade and presenting her with grapefruit juice and croissants; and she knew there was half an hour to get started. She relieved herself in the wizarding tent's bathroom and submitted to having Hunnic insert the intravenous drip with help from Beloc; took the strengthening solution that Severus had decided would help out this time; waited for the blood pulse; then started on the complex Gaelic phrase that was to be repeated until she was falling over with exhaustion.

"_A casadh orainn do'n chead uair, d'fhiaf-raigh me di a-n scaioi-l- feadh glas ar bith gra_….."*

"turning on the first hour I seek for a spell to unlock the spell laid in the heart…."

And it was NOT as bad.

She felt no headache of dehydration; and there were twice as many children blooded as there were those chanting, ready to give power when it was needed; and she felt Ulvik as one of them, and Rainer, firmly loving her and wanting to help; and it was heartening beyond measure. There were too those among the helpers who were able to share and aid; close on three blooded who were old enough to understand to help for every chanter once the helpers were taken into account.

It was no picnic; but it was not so bad as Jade had dreaded. And when fatigue threatened to make her legs give way she could draw on her children; and they responded gladly.

And this time she might give some of her attention to sharing the agony of Clovis' sacrifice of heart's blood; and reassuring Tildi. It went fine; and Jade was one of those to whom Sirri brought the drop of blood to draw the runic sign of release on Jade's forehead. It was why Lucius had been included as a primary chanter, to bring the number of part fey to twelve, one for each drop of blood, one for each of the cardinal points.

And then, as her voice was cracking and croaking, Beloc nodded; and Wulf took over, strong Wulf, who had also fed her power.

And Hunnic was giving her potions of throat easing.

Jade drew on the surroundings for strength; and rested for half an hour.

And then she fed her own strength into her father, who must needs do the full twelve hours; and called on Lydia to do likewise.

Doubtless most of the blooded helpers had already been concentrating on him; and she felt Severus still strong and vibrant, almost laughing with joy because almost all the other primary chanters had had the same idea.

One felt like a god when one was the focus of the greater part of the blood group; he would succeed.

And then the last triumphant phrase tumbled from Wulf's mouth; and it was pitch dark outside and the last sun setting at the furthest point west and south, the tip of Portugal near Lisbon; and Jade felt the satisfying frisson that was the satisfactory completion of a ritual.

And then they might apport first to the centre of the ritual the safe haven that was Durmstrang castle; and how extraordinary THAT would once have been to contemplate.

And Agata's school elves had laid on a sumptuous feast; which was very welcome. Less welcome was the insistence by all the elves on kissing the feet of anyone they could, especially Clovis; and Lucius warned Clovis that he'd be knee deep in free fey and elves before long.

"We have a fey exclusion line" said Clovis "Damn, I'd better find a way to let them know to go to you or something."

"Oh NO my boy!" laughed Lucius "I already had that little problem; we'll twist your exclusion line to cover only fey with hostile or unfriendly intent."

"And I love you too Lucius" said Clovis.

Jade was vaguely sorry for Clovis; but he was equal to dealing with the problem. She was just so glad it was over and they were safe to rest.

And what a lovely surprise to find that her children and little siblings had been brought here by her parents and that Ulvik had been busy making friends with Attila Nagy's sons, and Jaromir's sister and her own protégé Beremud, the ones who had stayed for Yule who were Ulvik's blood siblings and fellow marauders.

oOoOo

Ulvik had enjoyed himself between worrying about his mum and dad.

Sigismund and Zoltan had told him all about themselves and he had reciprocated; and though they were pure enough blood for Durmstrang it did not matter because they were marauders. Beremud and Bronislava had less to tell; but Bronislava was proud that her brother was a helper!

And Zoltan was excited because he had earned a remove to the second to be with his brother! And now he had the chance to meet Ulvik and some of the marauders of Prince Peak – Zhenga, assorted Breuers, Johanna Schiff, Fyra and Alrik, and Siegfried Snape Von Eiche who was blood kin if not a marauder – he was more sanguine about being sent to Prince Peak if under some strange circumstance his mother DID wrest him from school; though as she had tried to have him kidnapped violently this was now less likely as his father could cite it against her in a court of law. Especially as the kidnappers had cared nothing for life or limb of his friends. And from Hogwarts, Walter and Seth and his sister Candace and Sevvy, an elf who was also a Snape, and his brother, human Tarquin.

It was fun having marauders of the same age from all the schools in which they existed; because although Lilith was higher up the school, she was their age too.

So they went looking for secret passages while their elders slept off the chant; though Lilith did cry off as she too needed her rest! They included Siegfried as an honorary Marauder and Ulvik and Rainer teased him by calling him 'Uncle Siegfried' as he was adopted by Severus. He laughed and turned them green until they desisted.

And they had a great time in the passages and decided to emulate a jape of the Musical Marauders of Durmstrang and camp out in them.

It seemed an appropriate thing to do.

And a shame Lilith could not be along; but she had been doing something more important as a Marauder; and she was a very special little girl to be allowed to actually chant; and actually the others were slightly in awe of her for it, though Yrdl assured them that Lilith was a darling and not someone to treat with circumspection at all!

oOoOo

And then the Snapes and their etceteras returned to Prince Peak; and Jade invited Franziska Schiff and her Gennic too, they having come along as supporters. They had moved quietly into the orphanage when Franziska started to show; and she had been ruthlessly teaching Gennic to apparate before that to make sure he might escape at need and fetch help. He had been glad to repay the hospitality with his support, though the plight of elves had never really been one he had pondered before. Jade had the two younger Schiff girls brought in from Schloss Adler and of course Hildyth's little mother Thrytha and Eva's mother Klara; and with the Schiffs of the mountain village they might have a family Christmas.

oOoOo

Ulvik had never known a Christmas so jolly or filled with games and feasting and gifts; he felt almost ashamed at his small gifts and was surprised to be hugged and praised.

"You worked jolly hard on these" said Jade "And I am blown away with what you have done with that quill; do tell me for I am intrigued!"

"Indeed; it is magnificent!" said Wulf.

Ulvik flushed, pleased.

"I used stencils and aimed the charm at what I could see only" he said.

"Brilliant; a subtle twist and very clever" said Jade. "I've defined an area with a wand before now but I should never have thought of a stencil; both simple and profound as is the best solution to any magical problem. Well, you shouldn't have any trouble colour changing familiars next year; we're buying a load of school rats to be used as subjects for spells; intelligent beasties rats, and nice and clean. And not as fussy as cats can be. Nor – if they're cared for well – as downright bad tempered and plain ornery as ferrets. Though I have to say I DO base my view of ferrets on Garjala Weasley's Griphook who was – and I presume still is – pure evil. Ate Ron Weasley's shaving foam and had everyone in Gryffindor tower convinced it had rabies; and had a penchant for suddenly emerging from under furniture, biting a random ankle, and retiring out of reach again. I stick to safe pets; like Stripy."

Ulvik, who had been a trifle nervous of the Prince Peak school leopard at first until he got to know her, laughed.

From Mum that actually almost made sense in a bizarre sort of way.

And he might revel over his Christmas gifts; a really nice broom – beyond his need but he might loan it to someone like Grelleg for a match – and a writing desk with inks and pencils and pens; fine clothing; and books of his very own, a wide selection of exciting looking stories! And too a stocking full of little things, like a fart organ, a pack of miniature fireworks, some fun looking clockwork toys from somewhere called 'Weasley's Wizard Wheezes' and sweeties. He had not expected the other large gifts!

And the best gift from Rainer's point of view was his pony, a sturdy and shaggy little creature that was somewhere in colour between a roan and the golden palomino coat of Abraxans, with black mane and tail and black feathers tipped with the same golden brown in the wings.

Rainer was almost speechless with joy; and Severus warned him to be careful of the updraughts from the mountain and not to exercise him further than the quidditch pitch.

The pony was named 'Toffee' which was about the colour of him; and having no classical education Rainer did not saddle the poor beast with anything more learned as would be, as Jade said, highly inappropriate for a child's mount in any case!

"Don't expect a big gift like a pony for every Christmas or birthday; this is a special one for being glad to have you" said Jade "I was brought up to believe that the love given with a gift is far more important than the size or cost of the gift; we can afford such gifts as are extravagant when there is need for them – such as an evident love of horses. Ulvik, you are not quidditch mad; hence I have bought you a Nimbus not a Firebolt. You would not get as much out of a Firebolt as someone like Grelleg."

"It's so much better than the school brooms though; I thought I might let him use it" said Ulvik.

Jade hugged him.

"You are SUCH a good boy" she said. "I was going to get some better school brooms for our team; actually I was going to throw a sob story about the plight of lowbloods and goblins in Germany and see if I couldn't talk Firebolt into sponsoring us with a few of their earlier models and a Millenium Firebolt for our seeker. Why buy them if we can be free advertising and get free brooms?" she said.

"Skank" said Krait amicably.

"And you'd not have done the same?" said Jade.

"Oh every time!" said Krait cheerfully "Only as you've gone off to start the subsidised school, Severus and I don't have to and he gets to indulge his intellectual snobbery. Are we stealing Ulvik?"

"Only if he wants to be stolen" said Jade "He has a group of nearly marauders but if he wants to join the fully paid up reprobates you have in your first it's up to him. Rainer comes to you later to take advantage of Godfrey."

Krait grinned at Ulvik.

"Your choice then, laddie; to stay here and transfer or to go back to Schloss Adler. And it's not a once in a lifetime offer, because you can always change your mind."

"Please, ma'am – er, you aren't sort of grandmotherish" he started.

"No; Jade is one of my older adopted children and there's only eight years between us" said Krait. "Call me Krait; 'most everybody does."

"All right er, Krait; I do appreciate the offer and I like Zhenga and Fyra and Alrik a whole lot; but you see they already known how to Maraud and I have to help Mava and Lurtz and Klemens. And mum and dad need marauders."

"Spoken like a true marauder" said Krait. "Excellent decision; and you will NOT lose out on education. I suspect any of you who are high flyers will get the opportunity to fly high; but Jade is a good and tolerant teacher with the slow learners too. Not all of us are so good. Though I do pride myself on getting the best out of the odd remedial class" she added.

"What you mean is you are overall clever enough to break down into little chunks what Hermione can't see needs broken down and can take on the ones that have drive dad apoplectic because you come to their vile concatenations fresh" said Jade. "It comes of dealing with half a dozen mixed infants from your thirteenth year in the orphanage."

"More than likely" conceded Krait happily.

Ulvik was amazed! This great lady was an orphan? And admitted it? English people were strange and wonderful beings!

oOoOo

They returned to Schloss Adler soon after Christmas because Jade wanted to take to the children in the orphanage their extra Christmas gifts that the children of Prince Peak had been making; including the offering of the first year marauders, which was a pair of magnificent dolls' houses, one peopled by goblin dolls and one by human dolls to stand side by side and help little orphan girls to understand families. There was even a clockwork flying horse and a wooden carriage! There were sundry other toys; a rocking horse with fabric wings, dolls sewn with embroidered faces, pretty quilts and curtains, a train set with a clockwork train – somebody had profited from metalwork classes for that – a chess set for the older ones, and a host of garments and decorated boxes for keeping treasures in.

"Reckon they're nice kids, them posh kids, to make stuff for the orphans" said Ulvik.

"They are a decent bunch at Prince Peak" agreed Jade. "Mind, it took a while to bully them out of being a bunch of wet spoilt ninnies, the first girls who were there – it never took boys until dad took it over – who hadn't got a CLUE. Most of them had never even seen a goblin or had ever stopped to think why elves hurt themselves. And thought that someone with an income below ten thousand galleons a year was a pauper. And they'd never played quidditch because their previous head thought it unladylike; we got one poor kid withdrawn because she waxed enthusiastic about quidditch; AND she was fairly talented. Last I heard she went to Hellibore's Academy for Snobs and Slapheads and was being quietly subverted by the Grants and by our Ron when she came to cheer their team on into applying for a tryout in the junior team of someone like the Chuddleigh Cannons; Ron used to coach them so he has some voice there and I bet he gave her a letter of introduction. Parents are such a ruddy handicap to their kids at times; being an orphan can be tough but at least we get to CHOOSE our parents kinda; when you teach you see parents who have given their kids all sorts of false ideas, or who have failed to curb bad behaviour because they're too wet to realise that love means discipline not giving in to all the tantrums; or who have pushed a child who has a talent until the kid fairly HATES their own talent even if they need it too; or worse, like our Silvina, whose parents were ready to give her up so dad could adopt her, who deny their kid a talent and won't let them develop. Kids would be fine if only their parents could be made to get an 'E' or better in parenting!"

"My real parents were fine too" said Ulvik sadly "They would have been real glad for me to go to school and not made any fuss about what other races there were, and would have told me to do my best and they would be proud of me."

Jade hugged him.

"It doesn't seem fair, does it, that someone with really good parents should lose them" she said. "All Wulf and I can do is to try to live up to them as best we may; not as replacements but as spares as you might say."

Ulvik managed a laugh. Mum put things in such a droll way it was impossible not to!

oOoOo

Jade cocked her head on one side after they had returned from the orphanage and seen the delight of the children there over their toys and other gifts.

"Hello, Dad's having a visit from some rather snippy fey who want to remonstrate over our chant" she remarked.

"Does he need us?" asked Wulf.

Jade chuckled.

"Not hardly; he's calling lightning and has set up some strategic copper rods; and if any of them manage to reassemble themselves this side of the turn of the next century I'll be well surprised, even if they're not all destroyed outright. Dad doesn't muck about with dark creatures. And he IS very good."

"Severus is very efficient" agreed Wulf.

Ulvik was impressed. He knew very little about the fey – only what mum had told him, in explaining the reason for doing the chant – but he knew that the powerful ones were scary. Grandfather Severus was very clever!

oOoOo

There were other alarums on the last day of the holiday, New Year's day; Ulvik was aware of concern in the Prince Peak marauders of his age, and sickness and pain; and wondered if he really could apparate to them.

Someone was being blooded in; and Jade took his hand.

"They're handling it, but do you want to take a look-see?" she said. He nodded; and they were apparating into a big Hall with a dining table where a lot of people were being ill and a lot of marauders were helping them and a big boy was tied up in yellow and green striped ropes with nettles growing out of his nose and mouth surrounded by butterflies.

Jade went over to her father who was overseeing the brewing of something by a washed out looking couple who were newly blooded.

"Need me?" asked Jade.

"No; but I expect Eduard and Ann are glad of the moral support" said Severus.

Jade snorted and picked up the babies as Ulvik went to those of the Ubiquitous marauders he knew and got to meet Wilhelm and Serrik. He knew them of course through his blood; they felt better than they had a few minutes ago.

"This could have been in more auspicious circumstances" grinned Wilhelm.

"Well at least we know each other now" said Ulvik, helping with the blood clearing. Jade was shushing the not unnaturally fretful twins.

"Want me to take them for a day or so?" she asked. "You will be implementing my suggestion Eduard, I take it?"

"I will" said Eduard grimly "Do you want Jade to take the babies, Ann?"

"No, it's all right; Gretti will help me with them" said the new lady who was called Ann. Jade nodded, kissed her, shook hands with the man, Eduard, held out a hand for Ulvik, who came obediently; and dissaparated. She had her own school to get in order; and Ulvik knew that if things were necessary they would be called in.

oOoOo

"What suggestion was that, mum?" asked Ulvik. Jade shrugged. "Last time Ignaz tried to kill Ann and any unborn child she had I suggested returning him to childhood and seeing if he can't be made to grow up as a nicer child" she said.

"Is that possible?" gasped Ulvik.

"Yup" said Jade. "Better than killing. I really don't like killing."

His mum was a ruthless lady and yet compassionate too; Ulvik loved her, and his dad; for dad was as gentle too.

oOoOo

Jade decided she had one more task before term started and invited all the blooded at the school and Franziska Schiff and her Gennic to tea; and Ihor Rebet and Taryn.

"You'll have worked out about the blood group by now, Fran" she said without preamble "We set up the branch that was my set in Durmstrang; and brought Clovis in later to protect him because of his elven wife. Ihor, you and Taryn know more about it."

"He has an elven wife? CLOVIS?" said Franziska.

"It does sound unlikely, doesn't it?" shrugged Jade "He took responsibility for her; and found out the abuses that elves in Durmstrang castle are subject to; and learned to love her. Equally, you've come on board and taken risks and put love over position; so I thought it was time to invite you and Gennic in."

"Nefrita! Why I am overwhelmed!" gasped Franziska "But – what will such a ritual do to our baby?" she touched her swollen and pregnant belly.

"Join her to us too" said Jade "Which as any subsequent babies of yours would be, kinda makes it fairer."

"Pardon me, gracious lady but I don't know anything about this" said Gennic.

"Then perhaps I should go back to the beginning of it to explain" said Jade "You haven't all heard the full story anyway; go and fill a plate with eats and grab some pumpkin juice and then I'll get right along with it."

And Jade told the story of how the original group had been set up for Harry; and how she and he sister were included against the fear of kidnap and torture by Voldemort; and how it had become an entity in its own right able to help out anywhere that a branch was set up.

"And Lucius deliberately excludes himself from it, he and his wives" said Jade "Out of the possibility that if we ran head first into something we couldn't take, it would mean we'd all go down. Actually I think he might be reconsidering; just because we're so many headed and mutable we're fairly indestructible now, at least as a group; and we CAN block off. And it would give his Charlotte more magic than the limited ability she has. However, that's what it is; it's there to protect and serve and be ready to take on the problems any normal team of wizards can't, like that blasted lich."

Gennic nodded.

"Thank you for a full and complete explanation" he said "And thank you for the invitation. A brotherhood of such depth is beyond my understanding; but for one who has been an outsider for being a servant, and only a goblin from the human view, and from being one who has sold out in the eyes of many goblins, who forget that a servant at least gets to eat, a sense of belonging is attractive. But the decision is up to my wife."

"If it won't hurt the baby…. Then yes, Nefrita – Jade – I would like it of all things" said Franziska.

"Excellent" said Jade "And I'm hoping that in a couple of years when the orphanage is stabilised you'll join, both of you, with some other of our kindred to start yet another school; and Gennic by then with paper qualifications too."

Gennic was studying Care of Beasts and Charms primarily with Arithmancy too; and Jade had every expectation that two years solid study would give him ZH level in them.

"If we can give something back for all you've done for us, I should be happy to do so" said Franziska. Happiness with her husband had softened her; and Jade found she was looking forward to calling her 'sister'.

"Ihor? Taryn?" asked Jade "You would need to make Nefrina's decision for her; Zhenga made her own decision in Prince Peak. And other children WOULD be a part of it."

"It means" said Ihor "I should never have to worry about my wife when she was off healing people; nor my children. We are ready to come in; aren't we my dear?"

"It would be nice to know I might be rescued from trouble even if Angelica was not there" said Taryn "And I think as sisters – I presume she is in as she is here – we might achieve more."

Jade grinned; and Angelica kissed Taryn fondly. They had had a few adventures in bringing potions and healing to poor communities; and a few close shaves where Angelica had drawn on the strength of her fellows to make a point about how attacking them was a bad idea. A shame it was necessary; but at least she could do it.

oOoOo

And then they slit their palms and joined as one, Ihor doing it for his baby daughter while Jade chanted to minimise her pain; and Jade knew she had made the right decision. Franziska and Gennic would be just right with the group; so staunch a love that braved all dangers was what they were all about after all! And Ihor and Taryn had been close to the group for a while; it was proper.

* or phonetically, 'Cassoo doran don ced waar, jeefri may dee on sceeloo bi gloss air bi graw


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Jade was expecting three new pupils to be joining the first year; which perhaps she might have been happier to have done without but after the kindness of Wencelada's parents it was a little ungracious that she should turn down the request that she take in those who would, they felt, do better in a school with others their own age while Señora Fernandez concentrated on bringing on older ones to ZAP level. Some of those she was bringing on were the older siblings of the three; and Jade conceded that if they had learned the basics to catch up to the rest of the first, at least more or less, it made sense for them to be in a class accordingly as they did not need acceleration.

There were to be two girls and a boy; the boy a Brazilian lad, whose family had emigrated to Portugal under the generous terms of the Portuguese government in their efforts to cock a snoot at Brazil; the whole business arranged with the co-operation of certain Brazilian and Portuguese goblin crime lords for secrecy from the human authorities in Brazil for the safety of any who wanted to come; and portkeys organised so even the poorest in society might come. Tolo gan Redo was one of those very poor ones; the son of a factory worker with five siblings – five living siblings that was; Brazil had a poor child mortality rate amongst its poor, wizards, goblins and muggles alike – and of those siblings three were learning with Señora Fernandez and the younger two of whom would go on Jade's school waiting list for the time being at least, even as the younger sister of one of the girls would do. Leta gan Duarto was Portuguese; her father was a skilled clockwork manufacturer and Tolo's father had been placed in his care to train as a hand. Duarto might have been happier to have had a younger apprentice; but had strongly urged that Redo's older sons learn wizarding skills rather than continue earning as factory hands; and had himself jumped at the chance for his older daughters. This spoke well of Duarto; who might well have insisted that marriage was the only course for a goblin girl. Señora Fernandez had chosen well.

The third girl was the daughter of Señor Fernandez' own accountant; and had an older brother who was learning with Señora Fernandez too. Spain and Portugal had very few goblins; and generally speaking did not waste their often unique skills in being factory line workers save for those of low intellect. Spanish goblin armourers and weapon makers were unsurpassed in the field; Toledo steel was known throughout the muggle world but Toledo goblin steel was as famed in the wizarding world. Like Nara steel from Japan, or Damascus steel, the quality of the raw steel was improved by the random impurities of carbon found in the iron ore; but the ritual of centuries in each place of the iron ore mined by goblins where it was inaccessible to muggles had added to the magical qualities too. Duarte therefore was valued as a craftsman in Portugal; and the Spanish accountant, Naldo, father of young Ria, was valued for his figurework. It was not to say that goblins had not always been second class citizens; but not in the same way as they were in Germany or France; or even England. Where England had a wizarding population that had one goblin in every four people, there was closer to one goblin in ten in the Iberian peninsula. Tolerance was easier when there was no fear of an overwhelming uprising. Germany had parity of numbers; and therein lay much of the problem.

Señora Fernandez had said that Ria was considered rather a rebellious child, wanting more out of life than marriage and children; but that if she was clever enough why should the girl not have a career? Jade suspected that Señora Fernandez was a heroine to Ria for encouraging her ambitions; and any of such her brother might have. Naldo the Accountant had been, apparently, dubious about encouraging his daughter to have ideas above her station, but Señora Fernandez had told him firmly that the girl's station was whatever she chose to make it by hard work and wouldn't he prefer, say, to have a curse-breaking daughter to hand rather than rely on hiring in some supercilious young hidalgo of a wizard.

The argument had won the man over.

oOoOo

The three new ones were to come early, arriving in the morning; the rest of the school to return by portkeys in the afternoon.

Ulvik and Mava were to greet them and show them around.

Señor Fernandez used side-along apparation to bring them, Jade having dropped the anti-apparating zone for the purpose; and introduced them to the Headmaster and Junior Headmistress.

"And this is our son Ulvik Von Luytens and his friend Mava Sternschein" said Wulf "Who will show you around and explain the school rules and show you where your kit will live."

Given stern instructions by Wencelada and her sisters over the holidays the two girls dropped clumsy curtseys and Tolo managed a bow.

Ulvik and Mava took their leave of the headmaster by showing the new children how it was supposed to be done; it was sweet to be able to show off a little.

"And humans have to do this bowing and curtseying business too, yes?" asked Ria in her accented German.

"Oh yes!" said Ulvik "It is a matter of respect from any juvenile to a highly trained professor that a headmaster or mistress is; only rising to show respect is required for other professors. Mum says you want to break the mould and do something exciting with your life; are you thinking of aiming to be something like a Vehmgericht – what do you call them, inquisitor?"

"As a GOBLIN? Do you think they'll ever let us?" said Ria.

"Well the first goblin in England is going to enter training at the end of this academic year if he gets his grades; and he's top galleon because he's taking eight ZH equivalents and everyone seems to reckon he'll get 'O' grade in most if not all" said Ulvik "He's one of the Malfoy goblins."

Ria's eyes sparkled.

"That then would be something to aim for!" she said. "Is it too your ambition?"

"It's something I've thought about" said Ulvik "But too I have also thought about teaching to increase the number of goblins and blood-poor humans" he used this term as preferable to blood-tainted as was a common term, which like mudblood was offensive "who have education so that more have the chance."

"I think that's sort of what Señora Fernandez was hoping those of us she was educating would do; to educate other Iberian goblins and – you say here, blood-poor?" said Leta.

"It's a nicer term than some" said Mava "And shorter to say than 'people who aren't blood snobby little gits with more blood purity than sense'."

"And I thought I was mouthy!" said Ria.

"You are" said Tolo, feeling he should join the conversation "Though I think it's not necessarily considered wrong any more."

"Us three are all ambitious" said Leta "We want to go the whole hog with qualifications; there's others our age who come for a couple of hours a day, they're content to get a ZAP in five years time but they want to keep their work too. And I guess we were the ones too lucky to be picked out by Señora Fernendez because her husband's younger brother sells bread and cakes near my father's workshop and he talked to my dad, and my dad talked to Tolo's dad. Those who don't want an education are daft."

"Yes; but I know plenty of them too" said Ulvik "And there are those the same in the community Mava came from."

"If they are too stupid to let their brains atrophy for not using them when they have the chance they deserve to be stuck in dead end jobs on low pay forever" said Mava.

"My father actually earns quite well" said Leta "He's paying half my school fees; but he'd still leap at education if he could get it."

"Mine too" said Ria "Tolo comes from Brazil where they don't treat goblins very well."

"Nor do they in Germany" said Ulvik. "I meant no offence; but I say! Please will you not mention it to most of the kids? Most are here paid for by my mum and dad because they're very poor; some come from pretty awful backgrounds, and the ones that are orphans were in the most dreadful place until mum sort of just scooped them up and brought them to the country. I know you're not bragging – like I'm not by telling you that the Head and Junior Head are my adoptive parents – but it might make some feel a little, well, belittled. We had one boy boasting that his parents paid; he's learned a lot and is mostly decent now, but he was a bit unpleasant at first."

"That's all cool" said Ria "It's not nice to feel people look down on you; like a lot of humans do."

"You're probably in a better case socially and financially than some of the humans here" said Ulvik dryly. "I guess its nice if Spain and Portugal are kinda fairer than some places."

"The poor ARE very poor" said Leta "We are better off than many poor humans. It is one of the things that makes some humans dislike us; because most goblins are hard working and industrious and so thrive. Laziness is no way to do well."

"My father looks forward to learning real skills from Duarto the Clockmaker – Leta's father" said Tolo.

"We have metalworking classes here too" said Ulvik "Taught by one of only two humans to have a ZH level qualification in it; because it is taught in some English schools as a new thing, an exchange from goblins for being all permitted – as all goblins are in England – to carry wands. Even without qualifications. But they too have had goblin professors for many years; one school has the first goblin ever to go to school as its Arithmancy professor, and his sister is married to my mum's brother. Mixed race marriages are not frowned on in England so I hope you aren't in any way racist about half bred people."

"Not in the least" said Ria. "It's not common but it IS a popular theme in love stories. I think most love stories are pretty gruesome but I guess it shows WE don't come from a backward and benighted country."

"Insults to our origin aside, you are, I'm afraid accurate" said Mava. "But it doesn't make all Germans backward or benighted; many of our professors are German and they wouldn't be here teaching us if they were uncivilised."

"Ria and foot-in-mouth again" said Leta.

"I didn't mean to insult anyone involved in the school" said Ria "Only Germany's a bit of a byword for racial hatred and oppressive excesses."

"It's said to be worse than Brazil, which is going some" said Tolo "Though I bet in Germany they don't round up any street kids who don't appear to have visible parents and put them in gaol."

"Close" said Ulvik, shuddering "The orphanage I mentioned…. Hard labour for anyone over five, and the under fives given numbers not names. Beatings, poor food, pretty awful conditions generally."

"Well maybe Brazil is about on a par then" said Tolo.

Ulvik and Mava showed them around, and told them where to leave their various types of kit; and both were thinking that any one of this three MIGHT even be feisty enough to be a marauder.

They would discuss it with the other two when term started properly once their friends had a chance to get to know these newcomers.

And their friends would be back right after lunch; which they ate in company with others from close to; the orphanage children and the two youngsters from the village of Strangsdorf. And though the three Spanish goblins were used to more respect in Spain than were goblins in Germany they were even so surprised that the humans amongst those eating with them treated them no differently; because over the term of being hard working students together, the races were starting to forget differences and scarcely noticed what race a new child might be.

And the four big girls, Marta, Biirta, Shizue and Gauda certainly seemed not to notice that they were three humans – one of them a foreigner or some strange fey type, the three new ones could not say, never having seen oriental people before – and one a goblin.

Gauda made them particularly welcome when Ria said that they might be going to teach in a future Spanish school; explaining that she too was considering teaching.

"Several of us are" said Gauda. "Shizue will be teaching in HER country."

"Yes; I have a Sensei – a teacher – who prepared me, who wishes to start a school and has sent me to learn so I may help him teach" said Shizue. "I am muggleborn; he found me performing magic. In Japan, goblins and elves and muggleborn do not receive an education in magic."

"I am going to be a healer" said Magda "Because I have skills that make me good at it."

"And I might well work with her" said Biirta "We've been friends a long time; and the school runs a travelling team of healers and brewers of potions – my field – to help out the poorest. It would be rather fine to join it."

"There's more than one way to give back in thanks for being sponsored" said Gunnar leaning over. "Magda has already represented the school at a gymkhana and took a couple of places; it sounds frivolous but it puts us on the map. I got talked into dancing and maybe entering competitions; shows we're capable of more than making grunting noises and picking our bucolic or goblin noses and farting in public or peeing on the floor which half the stuck up bastards out there think is all we're capable of; I'm a peasant, Magda, Biirta and Gauda are orphans; Shizue's paying but she's very nice for all that" he winked at Shizue, then yelped as his ears flew independently around the room before re-attaching.

"Cuh, THAT was a nice curse, Shizue!" said Ulvik admiringly "How did you do it?"

"It was a variation on a switching spell; we have not long since covered it in our class in transfigurations" said Shizue.

"Library work then" said Ulvik cheerfully. "The root of all good mischief is library work, Lilith Snape says."

"Is she REALLY so talented?" said Mava, jealously.

"She's scarily talented" said Ulvik "You kind of feel like saying 'yes ma'am' to her and rising to bow. Of all of mum's little siblings she's the only one I might just call 'Aunt' and almost not feel out of place except that she'd probably turn my farts some dire colour and make my nose play weird tunes if I did. I would feel most inferior being in school with her, I think" he added hastily.

Mava looked mollified.

"I suppose we girls had better confess that we are paying too" said Ria "Ulvik has said not to mention it, but if it is not a big thing that your friend is, we are too, at least partly."

"Those of us who are sponsored are pretty pleased that some parents have enough to pay a part of the fees and help out others to come" said Gunnar. "I think I'd dislike anyone who tried to make me feel grateful; but those who can help out mean more of us can come. Are you the oldest of your families?"

"No; all three of us have older siblings" said Leta.

"They are being educated out of the goodness of the heart of Señora Fernandez" said Tolo "Who brings them to this new ZAP exam in time; but she felt we would get more out of a fuller curriculum. It is very exciting!" he said.

"It is" agreed Leofa, also from Strangsdorf.

"Do you play quidditch?" asked Martina, not really one of the group of oldest girls and sitting slightly apart.

"We've never had the opportunity" said Tolo "but I love quidditch; if the Brazilian team and supporters hadn't behaved so badly I'd never be here. Nine goblins out of ten took the opportunity Portugal offered to come to Europe!"

"Why don't we get out some brooms while we wait for the others?" suggested Martina "After lunch we'll have a couple of hours in hand before they arrive."

This was voted a good idea; and the three new ones were soon dubiously mounting brooms.

None of them made a bad showing; and Leta was a natural.

"Ah" said Martina "I think if you play up I might well be ceding my place on the team to you, Leta; I am a bit of an also ran though I love the game. We have a match – a friendly – with Prince Peak later in this term and I would like to see the best play."

Leta stared; then impulsively hugged the older human girl.

"I did not know until we were offered education that humans could be so generous; and that is a generosity that ….. I will play up for this wonderful school if I am picked but I will never forget your giving spirit; never!"

Martina hugged her back; as an orphan loving contact was so rare to be cherished; even if it was at least partly the exuberance of Latin temperament.

"Will you be my friend?" she asked almost as impulsively "We are in different years but I have no close friend!"

"If you would like" said Leta. "I will not abandon Ria and Tolo; we thought we should have to stick together."

"Oh you must not; but I should like a friend who is interested in Quidditch" said Martina wistfully. "And in my work group Safraxa and Liesel are already friends; it has been a bit of a muddle working out who is in which year. We are sort of in the third with still some catching up to do."

"Like my big sisters" said Leta "Lina and Lola are nearly fourteen; they're twins. They hope to take a ZAP and perhaps a ZP or two. If they do well papa will send them here for ZH's."

"Hmm, well, if she's quidditch mad, we might lose her to that; and we'll just steal the other two for marauding" said Ulvik quietly to Mava.

"We were going to steal any of them?"

"They feel right, don't you think? And then if they teach in Spain, it involves Marauders in another school" said Ulvik.

Mava giggled.

"Is that the plan? To infiltrate marauders into every school?" she asked.

"I guess so" said Ulvik "Though I don't think anyone has considered bothering with Beauxbatons."

"I think that's because it's debateable about it counting as a school" said Mava.

"I hope you're not laughing at us on these brooms" said Ria, flying up.

"No we were laughing about the inadequacies of Beauxbatons" said Mava "It was one of those conversations that would take too long to explain and goes through several leaps."

"Oh" said Ria "Sorry; I guess we're a little touchy."

Tolo was busy taking odds on whether Leta would get into the team and Ria frowned slightly.

"It is rather a frivolous thing" said Ulvik. "Does he gamble a lot?"

"He'll bet on anything" said Ria. "One can't blame him; Brazilian culture and all."

"Then he's out" said Ulvik.

"Out of what?" asked Ria.

"We were thinking of asking the lot of you to run with our gang; the Marauders" said Ulvik "Subject to approval from the two who aren't here yet. Only Marauders do serious stuff too and a gambler's a risk. And I don't know if Leta will want to if she's going to hang with a big girl. But we'd certainly like you if Lurtz and Klemens don't object, and I can't see that they would."

"Especially as Ulvik's pretty much our leader" said Mava.

"What sort of serious stuff?" asked Ria.

Ulvik gave her a potted history of Marauding and what it was about.

"And so you see we need people who'll put marauding and the school and the rights of others first; not silly things like gambling. It's an addiction you see" he said.

Ria whistled.

"It isn't a kids' gang at all!" she said "Well I guess it is but…. Yes I'd really like to be associated with that; it really means something. And I WANT to mean something. We'll have to see about Leta; she's clever and she goes her own way. Not that she's in any way selfish, for she isn't, but she can be a bit self sufficient and a loner; agreeing to be friends with the human girl – Marina" she added hastily as Ulvik looked faintly disapproving over a racial description "Is sort of a departure; I should think she's a bit flattered to be asked by a big girl and too rather awed that anyone CAN be so great spirited as to suggest giving up their own place on the team."

"Nobody is kinder or nicer than Marina" said Mava. "She also has the trick of being happy; which for anyone from that awful orphanage really is something. But she's not as academic as the other two girls in her bunch; and she's certainly not capable of keeping up with the oldest four girls. She wants to teach quidditch and I should think she'll do that very well. She's not tough enough to be a referee; but we haven't got an official quidditch teacher so she should be just fine."

"It's not fixed in stone when people join anyway" said Ulvik "And if she's sort of right to join later, that's fine."

"I'm glad you're flexible" said Ria.

"Like fun!" said Mava "Are you going to spend weekends taking the two voluntary subjects as well as all the tasters? 'cos if you are we so are going to have to catch you up! What HAVE you studied?"

"Potions – I hate that but it's important; Charms – I'm no great shakes at that either; transfigurations – which I'm okay at; herbology – which I enjoy well enough; and History – which is dull."

"Crumbs!" said Ulvik "We SO are going to have to help you with remedial classes in the rest; like Arithmancy, which is the single most important skill there is."

Ria brightened.

"I'm good with figures" she said.

"Well that's a good start" said Mava "And we can teach you pretty much anything else because it's Arithmancy that foxes people. It'll be fine!"

"Perhaps though you ought NOT to do the voluntary classes in comparative magic and geomancy" said Ulvik "You've enough on your plate in catching up."

Ria was looking glum.

"And here we were confident that we would be well enough up in class" she said. "How many subjects DO you study?"

"Only eleven at the moment, officially, or thirteen with the two extra classes" said Ulvik. "We have no muggle studies teacher and nor do we have a diviner; but nine goblins out of ten can't divine so it's not as important as we are very goblin heavy. Don't be downhearted! You shall join the ECC all three of you and we'll soon have you up to speed!"

Once the ECC had been explained Ria felt a little more optimistic if rather overwhelmed.

She rather thought that the gentle approach from Señora Fernandez was a far cry from the hard work the three of them would be putting in from now on; and daunting as it was she was preparing to revel in it!

oOoOo

The other children started arriving; Jade claimed to be no geomancer but also declared – erroneously – that you did not have to be much of a geomancer to calculate a number of portkeys arriving without them disrupting each other. Jade considered it the simplest thing in the world to just make sure that as each group arrived at ten second intervals there were emplaced what she referred to as 'herding spells' to repel them from staying put and making them go to the place she wanted them.

Leo, as semi-official geomancer, just grinned at Jade's airy explanation and made no comment. It was only Jade after all and her being a genius was more or less to be expected.

Meanwhile Lurtz and Klemens were being collected by Ulvik and Mava and being introduced to all the new Hispanic ones; and Ulvik skilfully managed to separate Ria as Martina collected Leta to introduce her to the other quidditch players.

"Mava and I liked Ria as a Marauder" he said "I'd have considered the others but Tolo can't let gambling alone and Leta's sort of seduced by quidditch, and fair enough to that."

"I thought your mum played seeker while she was being a marauder?" said Lurtz.

"Yes; and it doesn't stop us inviting her in later, but she'd feel her loyalties were divided right now" said Ulvik. "Let her settle in. Ria's a bit like Mava; ready to leap in with both feet, just what we need."

"Donner und Blitzen. Ulvik, if there's two of them, we three boys will be outnumbered, outflanked and surrounded!" quipped Klemens.

Mava poked him.

Ria gasped that a goblin – even a part goblin – should actually poke a human.

Klemens poked her right back.

"OY!" said Ulvik "You can bicker on your own time; yes they can probably shout us down but hey, who cares? We make them do all the hard work of planning while we do what boys do best and be lazy toerags. Nice for Mava to have a girl friend."

"I do go around a lot with Saeyth but she DOES have a twin and Mildh is rather clingy" said Mava "Which is one reason we haven't asked Saeyth to maraud; because Mildh would try to push in. We're supposed to protect the weak but not to coddle them."

"That sort of makes sense" said Ria "I'm only loud when people are being idiots."

"Oh around boys then" said Mava.

All three boys poked her this time; even Ulvik.

"I think we go with any decision you two make" said Klemens "Hi Ria; welcome to the marauders. Has Ulvik explained it to you?"

"Yes" said Ria "And to belong to something that gives me the chance to make a difference really makes me feel good."

"Yeah" said Klemens "I say, Ulvik, I – I learned a few things in the hols; enough to realise that although I've always thought Manfred to be rich and me poor actually I really am privileged. Because after hearing so many people's stories I was really LOOKING at people in the Kesselstrasse when we did our Christmas shopping; and the hungry look in the faces of the ones from Grindelwaldplatz and the Kobboldstrasse. And how those of our fellows from the Kobboldstrasse walk taller now and look more….. I don't know a better word than human, sorry."

"The word you're looking for is dignified" said Ulvik "The kids from Grindelwaldplatz don't walk tall either; and they ARE human."

"You're right as always; bad habit teachers' brats have" grinned Klemens. "It was also rather disgusting, seeing Elva run errands for her mum, hearing some of the muttered comments from some of the humans about how could a half-breed brat walk so insolently; and I'm afraid I butted in and said she wasn't walking insolently but with the pride of a scholar because she was now better than ignorant fools like them; and dad backed me or I'd have been slapped to pieces by those spiteful old women. It's going to take generations to get fairness"

"You're right" said Ulvik "And Mum and Dad have already discussed that. And there may be problems from poor humans objecting to educated goblins – mostly from those who turned down education for their own kids because they didn't want them associating with goblins. And if you ask me Portugal and Spain will have a few problems adjusting to having an influx of goblins from Brazil."

"No we shan't" said Ria "And I'll tell you why. Most of the goblins from Brazil are uneducated in any SKILL so they'll happily take the jobs humans don't want to do; the brightest ones have been tested and assigned to craftsmen, like Tolo's dad, because a lot of them are dim because my papa says poor diet does that."

"It does" said Ulvik. "So there won't be accusations of them taking jobs from humans because either they take the most menial or do traditional goblin jobs?"

"Yes" said Ria. "And Spain has opened the borders to goblins from Portugal too; dad has applied for a couple of trainee accountants. Traditionally goblins are either craftsmen or accountants or bankers; so as long as the poorest get firmly assigned places where they won't fall into the hands of the odd crime lord – and we don't have as many as Brazil – we should be all right. Señor Garcia, the Prime Minister of the Combined Iberian Council, is really awfully canny and they say he asked advice from Mr Malfoy in England."

"Oh if LUCIUS helped design it then it'll be cunningly fiendish and bound to work" laughed Ulvik "Mum has great respect for her Uncle Lucius' Machiavellian strategies."

"Por Dios, you ARE well connected!" said Ria, awed.

Ulvik shrugged.

"I guess Mum and Dad couldn't afford to start a school that THEY dictate terms about if they weren't" he said "But I've never seen it make any difference in the way anyone gets treated; except when mum is bullying politzisten who want to throw their weight about. She's VERY good at it" he added proudly. "And I say, isn't there a boy over there who isn't one of our originals? Let's go and be friendly."

They approached the small boy.

"You're Berthold Falke" said Ulvik "Did your parents relent and let you come then? It's a bit mean of them to hang you about; you have a whole lot to catch up with, even more than the ones who've come to us with partial schooling from Spain."

Berthold shifted uncomfortably.

"I – actually my parents had nothing to do with it" he said "I ran away to school!"

"Oh dear" said Ulvik "I say, jolly good spirit; but this HAS to go to the Heads because otherwise they might be accused of kidnapping you."

Berthold looked scared.

"I hadn't thought of that!" he said. "I WANT an education; I don't CARE if I have to sit next to goblins. Why should you types get a better education than me just because my parents don't want me to talk to the likes of you?"

"Well if you do get to stay I would hope you DO talk to the likes of me or you'll find yourself in trouble for racism" said Ulvik.

"Which has been a punishment enacted on human and goblin alike" said Klemens. Berthold looked surprised.

"Can goblins be racist? I thought they were just jealous and wanted to be human and would leap at being treated like people."

"You poor sad ignorant little git!" laughed Ulvik "Goblins are happy to be goblins; and we ARE people, and all we want is acknowledgement of that! Why would we want to be human? We are what we are, and we find YOUR fingers disturbingly stubby and ugly and your faces rather flat and bland. Those of us who have spent time at school, however, are starting not to see the differences; but to see only PEOPLE."

"Oh!" said Berthold "Then I guess I've been told wrong. I hope you'll put me right if I say something silly and not hold it against me?"

"Not if you really want to know" said Ulvik. "Come on; let's get this pickle sorted out."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

"All right, Berthold, tell us about it" said Wulf kindly, handing the boy a glass of pumpkin juice. They had sat him down in Wulf's office; and permitted the Marauders to stay to support him.

"Well, I sort of resented my parents making a decision for me on grounds that seemed flimsy" said Berthold "I guess I can cope with being around goblins; if what everyone says is true, a human would shine in comparison and if it isn't then people are wrong. But you can't shine or even keep up if you haven't got an education at all. My dad is an insurance diviner's assistant; he has some divination skill so the Diviner asks his thoughts on a client to see how well it backs his ideas, because it helps but as dad has no education he can't of course ever be a diviner. I'm not sure he has a high enough accuracy rate anyhow" he added. "And I sort of sometimes get dreams and ideas about people; and I felt I needed to follow my destiny. So when I had a dream on Christmas Eve about the school people collecting together to go by Portkey I memorised details to figure out where it was and I spent all my Christmas money on uniform from Frau Schnürnagel; and I asked Herr Fluch what kit I might need and asked him to break it to my parents once I'd gone."

"Are your parents tenants of mine?" asked Jade.

"Yes ma'am; and the day before you came for the first time I stopped having nightmares about the crack in the roof and dreamed that a beautiful angel would have it seen too" he said "And you did."

"Well beautiful angel is a new one on me" said Jade dryly "But it sounds like you have a divination skill worth nurturing; though unfortunately at the moment I have no divination teacher. I'll see what I can do; you'll have to study that on your own time I'm afraid; we'll schedule your timetable for you to drop any subject you are uninterested in or poor at."

"You'll keep me then?" Berthold was eager.

"I can't turn away anyone with a sincere desire to learn" said Jade "And as your parents' landlord I DO have more rights over them than otherwise; which is wrong, but at least something I can exploit; if need be with the threat 'lay down and accept it or find somewhere else to live today'. I HATE landlords that use threats like that; but I also hate parents who won't let their kids fly to the heights they desire. Like my adopted sister Silvina; who's so talented musically and wasn't even allowed to PLAY any musical instrument. Some parents are SO blind! She declared a need for protection and became a ward of the school; which is legal in England but dodgy in Germany as yet. Well I back Herr Fluch to put anyone's back up" she added dryly "So your parents are probably apoplectic by now and ready to go screaming to the Vehmgerichten."

"I shall go and see them my dear" said Wulf "And I will TRY to reason with them – the desires of a young boy and so on. And if that fails I'll try to bluff them about the lad desiring wardship of the school and did they really want to lose all contact with him – have you considered, Berthold, that they may disown you?"

Berthold paled.

"No sir" he said "I thought they'd shout a lot and come round eventually; because I'm an only child."

"Let's hope you're right" said Wulf, grimly. "I'll only make threats as a last resort; because if they're homeless, having their son taken off the street is a legitimate excuse to have you here. I don't want to do that to anyone however."

"We – we've always lived there" whispered Berthold.

"The thing is lad" said Wulf "Whether you are ready to choose education above everything."

"I – I won't see my parents homeless" said Berthold. "I'd give it up to save them from that."

Wulf smiled.

"There's a good boy" he said. "Then I'll do my best even more not to have to threaten; and it would only be a threat. We won't really throw them out. WHAT a can of worms!"

oOoOo

Wulf managed to awe Berthold's parents by saying that he failed to see why peasants made any distinction between themselves and other peasants like goblins and if they felt that the aristocracy was not respectable and that the chance their son would have, if he proved any good at quidditch or riding, to rub shoulders with the cream of society was not respectable then he failed to understand what respectable might be. Respectable was a word much bandied by the folk of the Schattenstrasse because they were only a step from the grinding poverty of the Grindelwaldplatz. By the time he had pointed out that now they had running water and lavatories in every house they had at least the opportunity to behave like civilised people – if they took it – they were virtually grovelling and begging him to keep their son.

Wulf found it marginally disgusting; especially as one of good honest peasant stock himself with the pride of a country farmer's son, that these city peasantry should grovel so to the airs of authority and aristocracy; but it was useful that the Germanic mentality could be thus manipulated.

Berthold was to stay.

And Wulf emphasised that his adopted son – Ulvik VON Luytens – was a goblin and a friend of the brother-in-law of Duke Eduard Von Frettchen. It might mean they would permit Berthold to be friendly towards Ulvik and cronies.

oOoOo

The Marauders took Berthold under their protective wing to help bring him on along with the three official new ones; though Jade also organised extra remedial classes for all of them, and ruthlessly purged out any subjects they were poor at outside the core curriculum. This was History in Ria's case – to her relief – since although she had studied it she would, said Jade, be wasting her time to continue when her efforts could be better put to catching up other subjects. Equally, Leta was to drop Herbology. Tolo was no high flyer but not poor at anything he had learned so far; in tests he showed himself to have a fair grasp of both geomancy and comparative magic so Jade permitted him those classes and cut out animal care, since he did not like animals; and told him he might drop other subjects he did not enjoy. Ria had a talent for Geomancy; and as Jade also tested the new ones on Divination, because of Berthold's skill, she seemed to have a talent in that. She was poor at runes – as was Leta – and metalwork and could not hold a rhythm. Leta had no skill at geomancy or comparative magic or divination so would not be engaging in extra subjects; and Jade permitted her to drop enchanting too. Tolo would either be an average all rounder or decide what he enjoyed to specialise in and get better at such.

Berthold had no interest in plants; so he would not even start herbology. As he had never had any urge to brew potions one could not expect him to be any born potioneer to require a knowledge of herbology, though he performed to an adequate standard in his test. As he had no extraordinary talent in picking up Geomancy or Comparative magic, Jade told him not to pursue them and to put his weekend efforts into catching up other subjects. He DID like animals; and was enchanted by the horses.

They might have another child to compete in gymkhanas here!

The Marauders firmly organised the class to share notes according to who was the best in each field; and it may be said that even Manfred Schliemann meekly handed over his potioneering notes as a perfect example of how to write things up, as Ulvik said.

The four new children were to have, as Jade explained, a temporary schedule much like that of what had been the upper first, beginners to be accelerated; and she told them that with the extra lessons she anticipated that four to six weeks would see them caught up well enough. Especially with the willing co-operation of the rest of the class who quickly explained principles any of them had missed. And it was good revision too for them to do so.

Jade had every expectation of a productive term; even though they had gone over their anticipated numbers to twenty one.

The large class was less of a problem now that all literacy issues had been sorted out; and this class had years to complete their qualifications.

The effective fourth-cum-fifth - those taking ZAPs and some ZP's this year – might loosen up a little this term; they had done well. And next year they would form the basis of a sixth form; taking their one or two good subjects to ZH; and perhaps pursuing the odd ZAP subject to ZP as well to back what was a meagre set of qualifications. Jade, as usual, forgot that the majority of students in England never managed beyond OWLs let alone NEWTs; the high academic standard of Hogwarts and later Prince Peak were her benchmark, such that she thought Durmstrang poor to permit the taking of no more than five ZH's. Even at Hogwarts, three NEWTs was the norm and not all achieved that.

It was of course why the ministry in England tended to be turgid; to work in most departments required only one NEWT, and so those who worked there tended to be the slower Hufflepuffs or one-trick-pony Ravenclaws, grateful for a job; whilst those of higher ambition and ability tended to eschew the ministry as boring. The exception, at the moment, being the goblin office, which was well run, exciting and innovative.

As it happened the goblin office in Germany was also now well run; Von Frettchen having fired the previous minister in exasperation and promoted an underling who had shown real drive and ability during the time he, Von Frettchen, had been under cover poking around and, incidentally, wooing his now wife Ann who had been a secretary in the goblin office.

Ann was, thought Jade, the best thing that had ever happened to Von Frettchen; and she was glad they were now her bloodkin.

oOoOo

The term would have some excitements; there was to be the quidditch match against Prince Peak to give the Schloss Adler a try at another team; and how kind Martina was to insist that the potentially better player, Leta, should have her position. Martina was to head a second team as her reward for unselfish generosity; Ulvik would be playing on that, and they would give the first team some sort of game even if not so challenging a one as the staff team did. That too would give the French boy Didi a bit of a chance to look better, being better than average at quidditch without shining the way some did. And with a much older girl in charge he would have no opportunity to try to organise the rest in his usual bull-headed and inefficient way.

And there were other sports to consider; an equestrian meet in the half term near Naples was worth taking Magda to that she might enter dressage and this time point-to-point, and Berthold too if he shaped up enough, with his entry being to the junior obstacle course. Rainer had taken to Berthold as a horsy protégé of his brother Ulvik; and had offered him the use of Toffee. As Rainer was cheerfully teaching the basics to Berthold, Jade let them get on with it. Rainer remembered from recent experience how scary your first few rides might be, and how a fall from too high a ride could be dangerous; and reiterated his own early lessons, riding Berthold on the ground for several circuits before letting Toffee take off.

And the third excitement of the term – if excitement was the best way to describe it – was to be a visit from the Austrian Ministry of Education and some young Austrians who wanted to start a school for marginalised peoples like Schloss Adler; and who wanted to see how Jade's school was working.

This visit was to be the first event of the term and Jade had asked that they give the children a week to settle back in before coming.

She was cautiously pleased about the endeavour; they had visited Prince Peak and Irmi had written that they were well meaning if rather ignorant, and she had told them to actually visit slums before even considering teaching the children from them. It had been sound and practical advice and Jade hoped the precious well meaning do-gooders had done so.

Austria's slums might not be quite as bad as those in Germany but if these would-be teachers were as precious as Irmi had written it would still be a shock to them.

oOoOo

There were half a dozen young earnest people in the care of the Austrian Minister; and Wulf and Jade greeted them cordially.

"Before we go around may we ask what are the worst problems you have encountered in teaching your disparate children?" asked the earnest young man whose name was, Jade thought, Bernhardt.

"The worst problem was a rather self opinionated human lad who disliked the idea of possibly being bested by a goblin and called a duel on a little girl – a half breed as it happens who he thought might not know much" said Jade "He had been feeling put down because others would not let him throw his weight around. He is one of the wealthier children here, by comparison. He THOUGHT he knew the rules of duello and threw the cruciatus curse that he had seen cast on a goblin because he did not know it was an unforgivable curse. He chose to take the same curse as well as making an apology in lieu of being expelled. The problem with him was thoughtless, casual racist cruelty. He's come on well. Generally, those who had little in the way of toilet facilities at home were fascinated and intrigued by flushing loos and spent the first day playing with them. Cleanliness comes from peer pressure; one cannot of course expect those without running water to stay as clean as those who do; and with never having had the chance to be as clean, some find it unnecessary to change their habits without being leaned on by peers. That's true of both races of course. Poverty is poverty. I've made sure to install inside loos and water-summoning wands in all the buildings I own; the novelty does help. And frankly, if you have kids from homes without running water, the incentive to learn to enchant dedicated wands to produce it is quite considerable!"

She paused, and went on,

"I won't say that it's been easy, because it hasn't; some racial tensions on the social side, illiteracy on the practical side; and the sheer hard work of getting the accelerator class on to a point where they're ready to take ZAPs this year has been hard. I made a cut off point of sixteen; and preferred fifteen. As beginners they began the year as upper first; we announced after the holidays that those who had progressed enough to consider ZAPs to be known now as Upper Fourth. There's eight of them; the oldest is almost seventeen, the youngest just turned fifteen at the end of the last term. All but one are hoping to take at least one ZP too; that's how hard they've worked. I'm not expecting the sort of grades they would get if they'd done a full course. It's an exam-passing class rather than one giving full knowledge; they can at least read around their subject and learn more if they choose to go to ZH. As all but one have expressed an interest in considering. If they fail, we just give them an extra year's tuition; it's no big deal. But they have the chance, from the hard work, to be more or less in their chronological age group thereafter, even if they don't manage more than a couple of ZH's."

"That's actually rather amazing" said Bernhardt "To bring them so far so fast! They must be extraordinary young people!"

"They are" said Jade. "Really, only the exceptional ones of such an age had the cast iron ones to opt for so accelerated a study; though bear in mind they also did twice as many classes at least each week in any one subject as a kid at a normal school because they only studied the five core curriculum studies; the compulsory charms, transfigurations and potions, and I added Defence against the Dark Arts – it covers all the curriculum of the Dark Arts course at Durmstrang and more – and Arithmancy. One lad took a couple more because he was good; and a couple of girls negotiated to drop Arithmancy in favour of subjects they had more feel for. And one lad dropped DADA but is taking two others. The top student however is taking seven subjects in total of which three are to be at ZP; his friend takes six subjects, four to ZP. If they pass the ZP's, those who take them, they may choose to take another year as fifth formers to take more; or just pursue a few subjects more deeply to ZH. Again, flexibility is the key. A big, established school cannot afford, very often, to be flexible about an individual child's needs; we consider it a core of our duty. We had four new ones start after Yule; three with some education, one with none. We're arranging timetabling to bring them on over a month or so. And trying to find ways to teach the two with divination skills that none of us have any knowledge about. I'm in communication with the divination mistresses of both Hogwarts and Prince Peak because a talent should always be developed. At least I have the experience of bringing on a talented diviner at Durmstrang who could find anything anywhere; though so far as foretelling was concerned, the fact that Kaffee und Kuchen followed Mittagessen was about her limit."

The visitors laughed.

"We visited poor neighbourhoods" said a girl rather abruptly "as your er, stepdaughter suggested to us; it was quite a revelation."

"I imagine it was" said Jade "I had been used to being involved in the social reform of my aunts Malfoy as well as my mum; but Germany's slums were an eye-opener to me and no mistake! Children should not grow up in such places; and by taking children out of such places and educating them they will learn to earn; and some will then use their new found wealth to pass it on, sponsoring others or even rebuilding and improving if they do well enough. Education is the best gift you can give a child; but if they're hungry, learning won't take. If it's a day school you're planning, I advise that you do what the free school in London does; provide breakfast and lunch. You'll find children sent there to relieve their families of having to feed them; and their concentration expands no end when their bellies aren't growling. Especially as we all know that school food is sumptuous because of the energy consumption of performing magic."

"Er…. We don't know anything about that" said the girl, whose name was Julia.

"Well doing magic is like any strenuous activity" said Jade patiently "And especially when you learn a new sport, your muscles work harder than they have to until they learn to do it right – you didn't know that? Ah well, I have had the likes of Viktor Krumm always in my upbringing. Magic takes more out of you until you have it totally under control, and so requires a lot of energy – replenished by food – to perform. Schoolchildren require almost twice as much food as an adult whose magic is under full control and who has learned to draw pure energy from the surroundings; once we start using the ambient heat of the air to fuel spells we don't need to eat as much; as I'm sure you've noticed."

Six young people exchanged looks.

"I don't think" said Bernhardt "We actually had as full an education as you English; even those of us who went to Durmstrang. I'm not sure many of us know how to draw energy from the surroundings."

"Oh. Er, sorry" said Jade "It's not really needed unless you're permanencing something you've summoned, or doing a largeish ritual like opening gates and wizarding space because if you're doing that sort of thing without a ritual team it takes more energy that most people can muster without passing out unless you do draw on the surroundings why are you looking at me like that?"

"The idea of opening a gate on one's own or wizarding space is not something that would occur to any – except, it seems, the English" said the minister dryly. "I had never got the idea from my English ministry counterparts that such was done routinely."

Jade made a dismissive gesture.

"Oh, the ministry!" she said "It's there for administrative purposes; it doesn't really matter that the posts are fulfilled by near squibs; all they do is push paper about. They failed to do the job of ruling so we relegated them to a minor capacity within the capabilities of the types of people who seemed to choose to work there. Don't confuse the English ministry with the – as I understand it – rather dynamic Austrian ministry."

"We were very pleased to throw off the yoke of Odessa and do our own thing" said the minister proudly. "We announced the legality of wand carrying educated goblins before the dictat came down from the German ministry; in line with the English school."

"I am an Austrian" said Wulf "And proud to be so; one of the independent minded of the Germanic peoples."

He was the hero of the young would-be teachers from then on.

oOoOo

Jade patiently taught their new young protégés to draw on energy from the ambient heat of the air; and explained that as teachers they would want to set up wards against the fey as well as anti-apparating zones and would need the level of ritual magic for such that would be helpful to have the extra energy at their disposal.

This required an explanation about the fey, their desire to steal new blood, the curse on house elves, and the twelve hour chant.

Having seen elves learning in Prince Peak without the least subservience or stupidity or need to speak in the third person they were more willing converts to the gospel according to Snape.

And anything that was contrary to the likes of Odessa had to be good.

Jade suggested that they might like to spend a couple of weeks actually experiencing the school first hand; acting as classroom assistants and remedial teachers with the new first years to get their hand in with small groups. They jumped at it; but Bernhard asked,

"Would you then be prepared to take another pupil? When we looked in the slums of Vienna there was a boy – three quarters goblin but as blonde as butter – who is a talented potioneer. He is already eleven and I had thought he must wait until we set up a school but it is a shame to waste talent. His mother escaped from a brothel when she was made pregnant; she is a half breed reared in the brothel. She is a cleaner now; and she is no older than we young would-be teachers are."

"Poor girl" said Jade softly "Will you employ her then in your school or would you like me to give her sanctuary here? I am willing to do so; especially for a talented potioneer. It IS rather a family thing. He is using potioneering already then, like Gorbrin Malfoy-Tobak was to subsidise HIS mother?"

Bernhardt nodded.

"His mother had learned to read in the brothel; and she taught him. He managed to get hired to carry the books of a kid going to school and copied out some potions while the kid had refreshments; that was a couple of years ago. He earned enough to buy a second hand potions book. It's an out of date one but the potions are all right I suppose. I er bought him the junior work book to work through. I was thinking we might employ the boy's mother, but if you can find a job for her in the meantime, it means Ebert would worry less about leaving her."

"Well go straight away and collect them, my dear boy!" said Jade.

Bernhardt meekly went; and Wulf hid a grin that most people tended to obey when Jade was in one of those moods; despite the fact that she was probably younger than most of the young people here who averaged, Wulf reckoned, about twenty-two.

That Anett Breur knew a few of them confirmed that; those who had been to Durmstrang had left before Jade's year there.

Jade would not be twenty until the summer.

oOoOo

Ebert bowed as floridly as he could manage and thanked the gracious witch and noble wizard for giving him a chance in education and too for finding less dodgy employment for his mother than going cleaning.

"Dodgy?" asked Jade.

"My son is very protective" said Avra, the boy's mother. "And Herr Keich assures me that you truly have work, it is no makework; else I could not in conscience take it."

"We need people capable of helping teach the orphans in the orphanage to read; and to be ready to hand out cuddles" said Jade "And to teach them to clean properly which is a communal effort; as it would be in any normal home. And having been subjected to abuse yourself at early age to be a willing ear to those who have come abused into what was a harsh regime before we rescued them. Can you do that?"

"Willingly!" cried Avra.

"Are you any good at potioneering yourself?" asked Jade "If so you will be given formal training to help with the potions in the orphanage too."

"No gracious witch; I don't really know where he gets his talent from" said Avra.

"My staff call me Jade" said Jade gently. "It is no matter that you do not brew; but I would not have you waste a talent if you had one. Ebert, you may explain now what you meant by 'dodgy'; I have not forgotten."

"Some employers hit her about like an elf; some expect her to go to bed with them" said Ebert.

Bernhardt Keich gasped.

"You did not tell me this!" he said.

"Noble wizard, what would be the point?" said Avra "If I was able to take a job in your school as you suggested, then I would be safe, unless the older pupils were at liberty to try to use me; and it would be better. If not, what could you do about it?"

"I AM glad he brought you to us" said Jade "And what's more I think I'm going to poach you entirely and keep you with our orphans. Unless you loathe small children?"

"No Gracious ….er you REALLY want me to call you Jade?"

"I do" said Jade firmly. "By the way, Ebert, when you say 'hit about like an elf' do you think that this is correct behaviour, to hit elves?"

"It isn't correct behaviour to hit no-one gracious witch but it happens" said Ebert.

"You'll do" said Jade. "well I shall deliver you into the tender care of my son and his cronies who are helping the new ones come on; you're only a week behind Berthold so I'm sure you'll catch up. I'll check if you have any rare talent but if not I suggest like him you eschew the voluntary classes of Geomancy and Comparative Magic. They're handy for high flyers but things you can pick up on your own time when you've picked up the basics."

"I've never heard of Comparative magic" said Bernhardt "HOW many subjects do you teach?"

"Only the eleven basics to the first year" said Jade "With voluntary classes available in those two extras; plus the two kids studying Divination. We've a Geomancy teacher scheduled for next year; and I'm anticipating a muggle studies teacher who's a parent of one of our kids. A muggle teacher of muggle studies is always best; there's a Swiss girl training in Prince Peak this year as an advanced student that you might like to ask to teach muggle studies in YOUR school; she got accidentally mixed up with the wizarding world and wanted to stay. Fortunately she IS a sensitive; and can see elves and such. She's studying Arithmancy I believe."

"That too is actually a subject we lack" said Bernhardt "We were a little dismayed that you considered it a core subject; but I suppose in light of your comments at the Triwizard we should not be surprised. And none of us who did Durmstrang cared either to study the Dark Arts."

"You have it nonetheless to ZP level as it is compulsory" said Jade "Brush up with Traudl who teaches here; she will be sure and teach you the best defensive spells and you can take your children at least as far as being able to deal with a boggart; which, along with the shield charm, is what I consider the essential skills of the subject for the average person. I picked it to go with Arithmancy for my accelerated class so at least they might take a job as curse-breaker's assistant; or in pest control. It need not even be a formal class if you cannot manage that. I am petitioning too to get the three compulsory subjects on the ZAP changed to be three chosen of four; with enchanting as the fourth. Some people who find charms difficult are able to loose their power in the more controlled ritual way that enchanting calls for. If you will add your voice to mine I should be grateful."

"Willingly" said Bernhardt slightly bemused at the depth of this free school that looked to have a curriculum that was superior to Durmstrang.

Time would doubtless tell.

It would be very funny if a goblin kid from here beat a Durmstrang champion in a Triwizard.

Bernhardt had not enjoyed his time in Durmstrang. He had learned early to keep his mouth shut to avoid being laughed at for his 'hick' Austrian accent; and the abuses and cruelties had shocked him to the core. Only a desire for education had kept him from asking his parents to withdraw him; their local school taught only three subjects to ZP. It was that deficiency in local education that was one of the driving forces behind his gathering of like minded people, another Austrian he had known a year above him in Durnstrang, Geunter Halbmond; Geunter's little sister Heide-marie who was just twenty-one; and others who had managed to study to two or three ZHs in small schools. And that some of these youngsters had come on to expect to take such in so short a time must feel as gall to Julia Löwenzahn who had but two ZH's; but Julia would never have survived Durmstrang. Inge Felde and Amadeus Weisshirsch had three ZH's apiece; they came from the Academy in Vienna that taught six subjects to ZP and welcomed any who stayed on for ZH. It was on this academy that Bernhardt was considering basing their new school; but maybe they might revise that. Having seven subjects and a couple of supplemental ones in DADA and Muggle Studies might be rather good; if this muggle girl would teach Arithmancy. They had been bound by what classes were taught by the limited schools; and by the subjects those of them who had gone to Durmstrang had taken to ZH; in other words, what teachers they had been able to stand. Heide-marie had taken Care of Magical beasts purely because Señor Carcano was so jolly; and she had done well. None of them had cared to study Arithmancy any more than they had dark arts. Bernhardt had himself got on well with Professor Rebet; and was delighted to meet him again – and find himself remembered – on the staff here! He was surprised to hear the lack of wheezing; and to discover that one reason Ihor Rebet had moved schools was for having married a half goblin wife with a daughter. Berhnardt considered him very courageous and full of moral fibre to do as he wished and what was right and not to mind convention; and said so, though with some trepidation. And Professor Rebet laughed – LAUGHED! – and thanked him, explaining that chanting was a powerful skill that it had cured his lungs. Ihor had always thought Bernhardt remarkably pompous; but the boy had his heart in the right place. And he WAS a rather good potioneer.

oOoOo

Ebert meanwhile had discovered with some shock that the noble witch's son was a goblin who shrugged and explained that he and three of his siblings were adopted. That the one human in their group deferred to Ulvik not because he was the head's son but because it seemed natural was a revelation; and then he was introduced to the other new ones and told that he and Berthold would probably want to be friends, having a language in common and being both starting from scratch.

Berthold and Ebert eyed each other up.

The idea that he would be looking for a friendship with a goblin – and one with a rural accent like an Austrian – was not one that would ever have occurred to Berthold; but there was a certain something about this goblin, a charisma. And Berthold shook his hand.

"Are we going to steal these two too?" asked Klemens.

Ulvik made a quick decision; Berthold had shown himself to have an idealism that reached beyond his early home training; and Ebert had something akin to the look of marauders, the look Jade called the 'look of eagles' because she read 'the lensman' series and it had some symmetry too in the Schloss Adler.

"Yes" he said.

He drew the two aside with his other marauders and found himself explaining marauding again to two deeply interested little boys; and then he was blurting out about the blood joining, the need for marauders to help all marauders; and was explaining that they had not blooded in his original friends because Klemens had not then been ready.

"And I am now, Ulvik man?" asked Klemens.

"Yes" said Ulvik "If you want it."

"I do" said Klemens.

Berthold wanted to know more; so Ulvik told him.

"My parents would hate the idea of me being blood brother to goblins – and even more elves" Berthold said sadly "I guess I'd better not tell them."

"My mum would be proud of me if I did stuff to help others" said Ebert.

"Mine too" said Mava "And I hope our mums will be friends, Ebert; my mum was made to be a prostitute when she was raped by a human. She's teaching orphans to read too."

"And my parents would be proud if I could help out I guess" said Lurtz.

"I expect my parents would disapprove; they're a bit conventional" said Ria "So like Berthold I shan't tell them."

"Well if you're in, I'll talk to the grownups to arrange it" said Ulvik.

oOoOo

And that evening there was a blooding; and Ebert knew he would never be alone again; and Berthold found what it was to really have friends and it did not matter what race they were; and that his little friend Rainer was now also a brother! and Mava knew she need not fear losing the friendship of Ulvik or the others; Lurtz knew how much more he could achieve than he had ever hoped; Klemens was only sorry there was no dark wizard they could help against right now because he could count even though his family WAS insignificant; and Ria knew that she could reach for the stars and there would be bloodkin to support her and help her stand up to a conventional father, who was a good and honourable man but limited in his grasp of what COULD be.

And what a revelation it was how many of the staff were involved!

"And those of us who are now your brothers and sisters will be extra hard on you in class" said Jade. "It's part of the rules of marauding. We'll also know if you bring something to us in a hurry and unconventionally put that you MEAN no cheek. TRY to remember to clean your teeth on your way to bed; I owe it to Hermione to fight her losing battle."

They went to bed laughing with sheer joy!


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

The young Austrians hung on Wulf's every word and were amazed at how much had been accomplished in just a term; and listened with doglike devotion as he explained that one had to believe in one's pupils. The idea of using sports to help their impoverished students meet and make contact with wealthier ones had not occurred to them; but they took it on board.

And they watched in envy as the third year chanters, who were still in Jade's reckoning a little backward, undertook a practical problem to unblock and return to the normal direction the plumbing of the toilets.

"The poetry is a little er trite" said Bernhardt.

"Doesn't matter" said Jade "It needs the right number of arithmantic legs and the right rhythm; words are a help by utilising assimilative correlation – not that we tell them that at this level, obviously – in the same way as using assimilative correlation by location nomenclature helps with nodal shift in Geomancy. I lost you there, didn't I?"

"Somewhat" said Bernhardt.

"It's easier sometimes to go from Vienna to Vinnitsa in Russia than from Vienna to Innsbruck because of the correlation of nomenclature" said Jade. "Don't worry; I think that's ZH level Geomancy anyway but I sort of picked it up by eavesdropping."

"As she tends to" said Wulf. "WHY did the drains overflow in the first place?"

"I hadn't got that far" said Jade "I THINK there's a blockage with an inappropriate enchantment on it. Whether it's deliberate mischief or a piece of terminal silliness I have yet to determine; ah."

The obstruction came up with a POP.

It was a quaffle.

oOoOo

Wulf held up the battered quaffle at Kaffee und Kuchen. He had cleaned it with spells.

"Would the author of this er occurrence – that is the blocking and reversing of the downstairs toilets – like to tell me what they thought they were about?" he asked.

Didi gan Gautic rose, very red about the face.

"Please Herr Professor, I did not mean any harm!" he said.

Wulf sighed.

"No Didi; you rarely do" he said "WHAT were you up to?"

"I – well since there was the second team, I thought we could play up if we worked with harder to play with less good equipment; so I tried to enchant the quaffle to fall faster, only all it did was keep rising!" he said "So I flushed it to – well, keep it down."

"Oh Didi!" said Wulf "You managed to reverse the charm on it; and somehow to put a total reversing charm on it. It reversed the flow in the toilets which is why there is a smell still in the north corridors. Another time you have a magical accident – and that goes for ANY of you – DO find a member of staff to put it right. I applaud your attempt to improve your game; as it happens I don't think it would actually help you. Practise throwing the quaffle running about in the Hall when it's too bad weather to get outside for broom work. THAT will improve your game. All throwing and catching practise is good. All right; you meant well; there's no punishment for good intentions gone awry but I would take it as gentlemanly of you if you apologised to the castle elves for the trouble it put them to, and the third year chanting class who had to sort it out."

"I AM sorry" said Didi turning to the Third "And please tell all the other elves I am" he said to the elf serving them.

"We is glad that it was just a mistake not someone making mischief!" squeaked the elf. "No harm done!"

Didi sat down, somewhat abashed.

"Poor kid" said Jade to the rest of the staff "He's settled down to try hard; I hope they don't rag him too hard. At least they don't have the overall education to make a parody on Hiawatha or something –

"Didi wanted more from quidditch

he would make the quaffle faster

faster quaffles wanted Didi

faster for the game of quidditch

but alas the spell was faulty

and the quaffle it was rising

rising from the hands of Didi

rising from the field of quidditch

it was rising which was useless

so thought Didi we must drown it

drown it in the castle toilet

hide the sight of my disaster!

– and how easy it would be to carry on spouting rubbish on the subject of backwashing loos, washing backwards always sploshing; because Longfellow is such fun to parody. Oh dear you Germans and Austrians just DON'T read the right things!" she sighed as several people stared at her. She quickly quoted a portion of the long poem 'Hiawatha' to show where her ideas had come from. "After all I DO read more than just Kipling!" she said severely.

"That's Jade for you!" laughed Traudl "And I bet most of the yards of poetry you know were set as lines during your miss-spent schooldays!"

"Of course!" said Jade. "Though Hiawatha I just came across and got an impot from Hagrid by writing about Hiawatha in a knarl-skin loincloth; as he wore the fur-side inside, pricked and poked was Hiawatha for the inside was the knarlside and the spines were very spiny; and that sort of rubbish. Hagrid rarely gives detentions but he had me poisoning flesh-eating slugs one evening for that."

"Serves you right" said Wulf. He had a shrewd idea that puns on pricks had abounded and that Jade had probably recited it – off the top of her head like this last one – and reduced a class to incontinent giggle meaning that even easy going Hagrid had to do something about it!

"Do you find setting lines and learning poetry is sufficient punishment?" asked Bernhard.

"Rather; writing is a chore to a lot of these kids so it's a tougher impot than on Hogwarts kids" said Jade. "And it's best to choose a poem with appropriate subject matter; kids who muck around with flame spells in inappropriate places OR kids who tell lies do well to have to write out something along the lines of Hilaire Belloc's 'The sad tale of Mathilda who told lies and was burned to death'. Children who get into trouble for too insatiable a curiosity need to be set 'I keep six honest serving men' by Kipling. Egregious disobedience has 'the Jungle Law' – again, Kipling. I used that the year I taught at Durmstrang. Worked too" she added. "It's being told WHY they are being punished that is the most important thing; so they know what the offence is. Like the kid who did not realise how bad the cruciatus curse was" she explained.

Their protégés were nodding sagely!

oOoOo

The Austrian contingent stayed for more than the two weeks suggested, feeling a need to watch the catching up techniques used with the new ones; and also inspecting the orphanage in case they found themselves with something similar wished onto them.

Jade explained the need for leisure time and exercise and wrote careful notes for their edification; and Bernhardt took careful supplemental notes too. Jade sighed; he was so VERY serious. She pointed out that to make real children of downtrodden young people they had to learn to have fun too because children who were enjoying themselves learned better; and that seeing their teachers enjoy their subjects and have real enthusiasm for it helped with this. Bernhardt nodded seriously and made a note.

Ah well, perhaps he was more enthusiastic when teaching potioneering.

"She isn't your type you know" said Jade.

"Beg pardon?" said Bernhardt.

"Heide-marie" said Jade "You THINK you fancy her, but it's only the habit of having helped out a fellow Austrian's kid sister."

Bernhardt burned.

"Did you legilimens me?" he demanded.

Jade laughed.

"No; I didn't have to" she said "She has no interest in your subject; you may never find a born potioneer to wed but you should at least pick someone who doesn't wrinkle their nose up at the smells. Though I have to say some of the second are surpassingly smelly" she added. "You're in the habit of looking after her; and you don't actually do HER any favours. Besides, you don't like animals much; for one partner to take no interest in the main field of the other is bad enough. For both it's a recipe for disaster. You'd be better off with Avra, who at least takes an interest in her son's potioneering and is a bright girl ready to be given an informal education. If I was you, I'd not get into the HABIT of thinking of Heide-marie as your girl. You're too young to have romance as a habit. My sister got into the habit of assuming she was going to marry her best friend; and he expected it too. Then she fell in love because of a chant she did that saved the life of – well, it's no secret, it was Viktor Krumm. And he fell for her; which is hardly surprising because she's the beauty of the family, and there she was when he came round. And it endured enough that when she was all confused he stood aside to give her the chance to figure it out for herself. Leo – her friend – was being all jealous you see. Well she did figure it out, but not without a few heartaches and some soul searching; and Leo has a girlfriend of his own and is happy too, he's waiting for her to leave school. They'd have argued the whole time and made each other miserable. And Heide-marie is getting irritated at the rest of you – especially you – treating her like something between a child and a piece of delicate china."

"But she's so young!" protested Bernhardt.

"She's two years older than me; don't be ridiculous!" snapped Jade "And I have a two and a half year old son and I've been fighting dark wizards for years! Watch how my Wulf treats me; he checks to see I'm not over-reaching myself with a glance then leaves me to do what is needful; not because he doesn't care but because he DOES care about my dignity and independence. And Heide-marie knows how old I am because she worked out that I did the year in Durmstrang because I was a year ahead of my age at Prince Peak. And making me a year younger than Anett; and she know that Anett was a year below HER in Durmstrang. I've seen her calculating it. Let the poor woman grow up; and stop coming the heavy knight in shining armour. Give her space. Maybe she WILL choose you – when you've let her complete her growing up. Maybe she won't. But the habit you've fallen into is unhealthy. And it would be your business and only yours except for the fact that if you're starting a school your personal life IS going to rebound on the kids; making it their business, because they don't deserve to have two of their teachers in the middle of a messy divorce or worse, a split, just as they're starting to get somewhere."

"Well I suppose then it is your business if it's the kids you're thinking of" Bernhardt looked unhappy. "Fortunately there's no spoken agreement between us."

"Good; keep it that way and just back off. Encourage her to speak her mind. She has one big brother; try to be her colleague not a heavy handed extra brother or lover" said Jade. "Better yet, ask her to stay on here while you sort out premises and keep the rest of you informed; we'll keep Julia too if you like and insert some more stiffening in her" added Jade "And then they'll both have the chance to form their characters more for themselves without being formed by you lot. And no I shan't be forming Julia by giving her stiffening; just introducing her to situations and suggesting a number of ways to deal with them – of which she may take her choice or come up with another way. Boosting confidence is about leading people to make decisions; not making decisions for them."

As if it wasn't enough to train the kids, and train these green young teachers without having to sort out their personal lives!

oOoOo

The five new ones were catching up readily; and the two who started with virtually nothing had the advantage, as had Ria, of the blood bond that made it easier to grasp things. Ebert was ahead in potioneering – which Ihor Rebet said waspishly was a relief as it made a change to have a few in the class not likely to poison them all accidentally. This was only Professor Rebet's way so nobody took any offence as only Abert gan Kessel and Lurtz struggled with potions, Ulvik was above average, and Emilia, Viva and Manfred positively shone; and Leta was almost as good. Having five or six star pupils pleased Ihor immensely as he relented and told them he might have struggled to have so many in a class almost twice the size in Durmstrang; and twice as many dunderheads.

And, he added, dunderheads of the magnitude that made Herr gan Kessel and Herr gan Sidor look positively talented; which was no excuse for them not to try harder.

Ebert promised to help Lurtz as a return for all the help his friends were giving him; and Lurtz was grateful. If he could get a pass on the ZAP as the end of the fourth year's work he would perhaps be permitted to carry his wand in the holidays. There was nobody in the mining village who would cause problems, but he could do a lot to help.

oOoOo

There was another new child at the castle by the time February was half over; Valentine's day was marked by the arrival of Franziska'a half goblin daughter; and the proud parents decided to stick to human names and called her Stefanie after Franziska's sister since Stefanie Loënzahn had been so supportive. Small Stefanie was cute and it may be said that plenty of cuddles were available from the older girls at the school when Gennic and Franziska brought her up to show her off!

oOoOo

Generally speaking things were going well; and by half term it would have been impossible to tell that the five new ones had not been there all year.

It may be said that the five new ones did feel great relief at being released from extra lessons and remedial work by half term; especially those who hoped to maraud and wanted to know what mischief they could get into now they had time to get into it!

Ulvik suggested painting ancient Greek words on the flagstones with a barrier charm until you translated them; which Ria vetoed as she was not taking Ancient Runes at all; and Ebert suggested brewing up a colour-changing paint that flashed to just brighten the corridors up a bit; a solution solution as one might say.

They got a little sidetracked onto the cleverness of such a paint and murmurs of 'library work' were made when Ebert confessed that his old potions book had mentioned it only in passing.

"But it's not a funny jape" complained Mava. "We could use it ON something; like folded paper birds enchanted to fly about singing something funny but just decorating the walls is kinda boring."

They set about researching it anyway because library work never came amiss and besides in the pursuance of a possibly useful potion they might happen on an even more exciting one for this jape or another future eventuality.

They were entirely unaware that Jade viewed library work on the part of juniors as inevitably mischief bent; and though she rejoiced that her marauders were breaking out in serious mischief at last she kept a wary eye out. They did not have the experience or school legends to know what was acceptable and what was not; though they were a sensible and sensitive bunch of kiddies.

They decided to brew the flashing, lurid paint in the end and painted several sheets of paper which they folded into birds singing a parody of a well known advertising jingle for broom repair kits that anyone who listened to Wizarding Wireless was familiar with; save that the Marauders; version went,

"If your dark wizard's broken and his morals lost or bent

just bring him to Schloss Adler where clever kids are sent

if he's lost his marbles and you don't know where to turn

send him to Schloss Adler where a lesson he will learn!

We'll kick him in the belly

We'll kick him in the knees

We'll use a thorough binding spell

And cover him with fleas!"

They surreptitiously loosed their paper pets just before Kaffee und Kuchen after their efforts came to fruition – it took almost a week – and there was much laughter as the other children, hearing the tune, prepared to groan; then heard the words.

"And did the perpetrators of this PAY for their potion ingredients or indeed invade Herr Rebet's potion stores, which are off limits?" asked Wulf.

Ulvik rose.

"No sir; we gave our pocket money to Herr Gennic Schiff and asked him to buy them for us" he said virtuously. A well dressed goblin who looked to be the servant of a rich household would NOT be refused service in any potioneering shop even if a scruffy looking goblin might; most shopkeepers would be afraid of having a rich and powerful master objecting to his flunkey being refused and to having to chastise some low-born himself.

"Very well; then there are no rules broken in the commission of this er… prank; and no punishment due unless they disrupt the smooth running of the school" said Wulf "Which means you'd better come up with a way of limiting where they go so they do NOT disrupt lessons."

That would be a challenge.

"Library work" said Ulvik, resigned.

The birds were subsequently confined to the corridors until their folded paper wings got too loose and floppy to fly and they started to come apart, which would also disrupt the singing spell; but they should be good until the end of term.

And partly THAT was to show off in case any marauders were with the visiting Prince Peak quidditch team.

oOoOo

While the Marauders had been sorting out their jape they had been bereft a member while Berthold went with Magda to the equestrian meet under the auspices of Ritter Kesselring; and taking Rainer to compete too on Toffee.

Rainer was delighted to meet up with Ritter's half brother Falk again and to be competing against him; as he said, he did not expect to be placed but it was all such good fun! Falk's friendship ensured that Rainer was given polite greetings from other small competitors instead of being ignored; but Falk's snide comments to that effect made sure that Rainer was not unduly flattered. Falk was a well known competitor of impeccable family after all; and Rainer recognised it as being like people sucking up to Malfoys. Of whom there were two competing; and as Rainer knew Lucius, who was there, he took Falk to meet him. Lucius introduced Penny and Lucasta, who were competing; and Varjak, who was not.

"Doesn't take after Gorbrin in that respect" he said. Varjak grinned and said that he preferred brooms.

Knowing Malfoys was further kudos for Rainer; and some he got, as Falk said, for himself.

"I wish you were coming to Durmstrang when we go up to school" said Falk.

"Well I don't know how pure my blood is for their peculiar ideas for one thing; and for another, I really want to learn music at Prince Peak" said Rainer. "Music is everything to me."

"We do have a music teacher at Durmstrang" said Falk "I think he's a friend of your mama."

"Well I'll think about it" said Rainer "But I DO know some of the people who'll be going to Prince Peak; and I'll be allowed to take Toffee there too. Anyway, why don't YOU come to Prince Peak?"

"I can ask" said Falk. "If they let you keep your pony that WOULD be an advantage!"

Meanwhile the competition was getting under way. Rainer knew Toffee would never score highly in the Dressage – he did not – but had hopes of him in the obstacle course.

He was beaten to fourth place in the end; the Malfoys and Falk filling the top three places which was hardly surprising, and Rainer's own game raised in competing with a friend and sort of cousins. And Penny was a year older too, even though in the same age-class.

The next age-class up was the one Berthold was competing in, also on Toffee. They had decided not to subject him to the indignities of the dressage a second time; and though he had already competed in the earlier competition, Toffee was eager to show what he was made of, and romped Berthold in to second place behind a sneering boy from France and ahead of a spoilt girl who burst into tears of rage that some unknown had pipped her. Berthold asked Ritter,

"Sir IS it cheating that I use a bit of foresight because I'm good at divining to know exactly when to turn?"

"No lad, it is not" said Ritter "If truth be told, most people with hunches have a degree of divination ability even if it's not enough to have visions; and it's a part of you the way quick reactions might be. She needs a good spanking."

True to the spirit of marauding, Berthold concentrated everything he had learned and made her tears fluoresce as a variant on the fluorescent fart jinx; and naturally managed it wandlessly, having left his wand in the castle according to the rules. He did mutter a hastily improvised incantation.

The girl retired in hysterics.

oOoOo

Magda managed a second place in the dressage on Hermes; and took again the third place on the point-to-point, letting Hermes choose the routes to take; that true to Lucius' own preference was the straightest and most risky. And Lucius came over to pet his old steed and tell Magda that he was glad the old boy had a rider who appreciated him; and invited her to stay in Malfoy Manor in the holidays.

Magda was flustered and blurted out that she was an orphan, her and her friend and though she would love to, that she wouldn't come unless Biirta did too. And Lucius laughed and said that he liked loyalty; and he'd love to see both of them and would write formally to her headmistress.

And if anyone was offended by the virtually unknown Magda doing well, the fact that Lucius Malfoy chatted to her meant she had to be someone; and somebody who recalled that her name was Schmitt also recalled that this was the name of the bride of Herzog Eduard Von Frettchen; and immediate assumptions were made. Those of the Germanic sphere promptly wanted to know Magda.

It was Rainer, Falk, Penny, Varjak and Lucasta who found this out through eavesdropping in the usual way; and passed it on as a really good joke. Magda sighed; and Ritter said it would do the tattlers no harm to talk rubbish and at least it was not nasty gossip and it was best to disregard it. The Schloss Adler team returned home having not disgraced themselves; and Berthold was once again plunged into the preparation to loose singing birds in time for the quidditch match.

oOoOo

The Prince Peak team duly arrived; and Ulvik, looking out for his adoptive grandfather to point out to his friends, was disappointed not to see him in the group flying up from outside the anti-apparating zone.

The rest of the team had arrived when Severus appeared with a sharp TAC INside the anti-apparating zone looking a little frazzled.

"What kept you Sev mate?" asked the red-haired grown-up that Ulvik thought was Ron Weasley.

"A truant; Evadne Horrocks took a side trip to Innsbruck and I went to retrieve her" said Severus grimly.

"Horrocks? She's a prig's prig!" said Ulvik's aunt Lydia.

"She was autograph hunting" groaned Severus.

"'Nuff said" said Lydia

oOoOo

The team captain, whose name was Emily, introduced her team. The seeker was a goblin named Arbrek; the keeper was a girl called Zoë; Emily was a chaser with her sister Kate and a boy called George; and the beaters had blood song and were identical twins called Fred and Peter.

They grinned across at the Marauders; they recognised THEIR bloodsong.

Grelleg introduced HIS team; himself as seeker – he and Arbrek eyed each other up thoughtfully – Cnebbic as keeper; Witlac, Valerie and Safraxa as chasers; and Torschik and Leta as beaters. Ulvik reflected that the racial mix was reversed now Martina had given up her place to Leta; one human amongst a team of goblins for them and the reverse for Prince Peak.

The Prince Peak team seemed to have no problems about greeting their counterparts warmly; it really was coincidence, not a case of playing the token goblin.

There were refreshments and smalltalk first, and Peter and Fred came briefly to ruffle the hair of the first Schloss Adler marauders; and dubbed then the First Eagle Marauders.

It was a good a marauding name as any for those of the Castle of the Eagles. The tune the pair whistled was not one Ulvik knew; and Peter sighed.

"Jade SO is going to have to show you decent films" he said "Marauders NEED films to quote from; especially marauders whose school had its name changed to make a film reference!"

"Did it?" said Ulvik. "I mean, I know the name was changed; it was Schloss Von Strang. Mum said that was boring."

"It is" said Fred. "Oh well I expect we can show it to you in the hols if you come to Prince Peak. I say, they want us to actually play quidditch; you'd think we were on the team."

"We are on the team" said Peter.

"Oh yeah, so we are!" said Fred, winking.

"They're nuts" said Lurtz not sure if he disapproved or admired.

"I think it's a defence against dark wizards and gets to be habit" said Ulvik "They're old enough to have fought a few times; they're big boys of sixteen."

"I guess" said Ebert soberly "THAT brings it home how much is expected of marauders; they've fought already several times and they're ONLY sixteen."

"That's another reason we're supposed to have fun between I think" said Ulvik. "But in our worlds, at sixteen a boy might have escaped death from dangerous work, have fought and killed someone after his meagre knuts or his body and become an addict to escape the harsh realities; I know which I'd rather do."

"Yeah" said Lurtz "In the mines, plenty of boys might be dead before they were sixteen before we had the safety measures; like my dad's little brother who entered the pits on his thirteenth birthday and was dead before nightfall. We take risks as marauders but we also know how to tackle them because we're trained; and we get to fight back against the risks we take."

They all linked hands; somehow it was appropriate. And none of them voiced the thought that Ria might be married at thirteen and Mava taken by one of her mother's clients even now at eleven and die of rough sex or having a baby.

oOoOo

The outcome of the match really was in no doubt; the Prince Peak team flew rings around the Schloss Adler team as well as the first team did around the second; if not more so. But they did the new team the compliment of not holding back; and called compliments about well executed moves. And when it was over, Grelleg having been taken out with the Wronski feint by Arbrek, who returned to find the snitch he had permitted briefly out of his sight, the Prince Peak team slapped all their opponents on the backs and held a detailed post mortem over Kaffee und Kuchen, pointing out that after all they were largely older, bigger AND more experienced than the home team but it had seemed a little impolite to send their second team.

"I appreciate it" said Grelleg. "We learned a lot playing a team that's used to playing professional teams; and I think Cnebbic and I have learned a lot too about broomsurfing by watching those of you who do it."

"Zoë's new to the position of Keeper – rather good at it though – having been promoted from the second team this year and tried out in it rather than her accustomed position as chaser" said Emily. "The twins are teaching her broomsurfing and more so she'll either kill her silly self or be even better next time we meet."

Grelleg grinned at Zoë. "It is rather a crazy thing we do, isn't it?" he said.

Zoë smiled and nodded shyly. As the baby of the team she felt shy at the best of times, without being surrounded by strangers!

"We're considering sending Grelleg here, and Cnebbic too, on a quidditch scholarship to you at the Peak after they have their ZP's" said Jade. "To benefit from Viktor's and Ron's rather expert tuition. And possibly Valerie might ask her father to send her to you too" she added. "Too bad for our team; but our pupils and their needs are our priorities. It's a couple of years away anyhow as Grelleg's in the third; three for Cnebbic and Val in the second. And the boys at least will have no trouble with any of the academic work in Prince Peak especially Grelleg who's one of our star pupils; Val is less of a high flyer but she's a good hard working girl."

"And I'm the team baby in the third!" Zoë was shocked into saying. "We should have played our younger players against you!"

"It does us no harm to be pushed" said Grelleg. "Perhaps another time we can play a round Robin; our two teams each against your two."

"But best not to play Beauxbatons" said Arbrek with a straight face "It would be poor for their morale to be crushed by a team from a new school whose oldest member is but thirteen."

"NO Beauxbatons jokes please!" said Jade "I have a protégé in Durmstrang who's going to teach there when she leaves school; give them a bit of class."

"Darryl is talking of teaching there for a year while Mimi finishes at Hogwarts until your protégé leaves school" said Peter "As teaching practice; he can offer what Madam Maxime really wants."

"I'm NOT rising to your innuendo Peter Lowther; yes Darryl is a very fine chanter."

"And there was I planning on saying that he really knows how to use his tongue!" quipped Peter.

Severus leaned over and cuffed him with two fingers.

"And in front of children you horrid brat!" he said. "Including my grandson!"

Fortunately, apart from the fact that he was making smutty jokes the actual meaning passed the first Eagle Marauders by.

And the young marauders were looking far too smug NOT to have been involved in the folded paper birds singing a rather blunt variation on one of the more irritating German Wizarding Wireless advertising jingles!


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

The new children were not the only ones working to pull ahead. Herman Meyer and Jurgen Lötze were a year behind their chronological age in the third, catching up those subjects not taught in their rather limited Dame School. And if those who had known nothing could catch up to join the third, which would then be company for Reiner Kurtz, who was a good sort, then they could pull up too, or so reasoned Herman; and Jurgen nodded and put his back into study.

There were only four extra subjects to catch up; their previous studies were not perhaps to the standards Jade considered suitable for three years previous study but they were easy enough to brush up. And they could do that when they were effectively on par to be fourth years. And into their studying they invited Ervig gan Sabac, who was actually a year older than them and hoping to be an engineer; and they also asked for advice and remedial classes.

The staff were willing to comply; the worst of the hard driving of the upper first, now upper fourth, was over; and there were spare hours, if only because the children could not be driven at such a pace forever. Ervig could have joined the upper first but had elected to have the wider education base with the second, working hard to pull himself into the third. And he was not disappointed to have done so; but felt that he could, especially if he worked in the holidays, maintain an average with the other ambitious boys. He was a protégé of Ritter Kesselring, who had prepared the children from Kobboldsheim; and Ritter was ready to do all he could to help the boy, who had some revolutionary ideas about using the growth of plants to detect underlying minerals, according to what species grew and what their state of health was. If he succeeded it would be ground breaking work in the wizarding world. Ervig was, however, sensible and did not waste time dreaming about future research that would only be possible when he had the education to exploit it.

It may be said that another entrant into the second who considered herself academic had not even caught up to her chronological age in the third; Delfine Schrotter, having studied for two years in Charms, Runes and History had only done just enough to catch up to the level of the second in the other required subjects; she was an able student at Transfigurations but was well below par at potioneering – which she described as low, but only once, since Jade had torn her off several shreds before Ihor Rebet even got started – and was not even really adequate at Charms despite her supposed advantage in that study. The only thing that got her interested was a juicy piece of ancient history especially if it was written in some form of semi-deciphered runic form. Anett Breuer, as her form mistress, was forced to tell Delfine that since Runes and History were by way of being frills she would find soon enough that she would not be permitted to study them further if she continued to be lackadaisical in her work on other, more important mainstream subjects. Delfine was horrified. Her tutor, a retired Anwalt, had urged her to accept this chance at a more rounded education; but he had been a respected and learned man in his field and the silly girl had got the idea that because he felt unequal to teach her potioneering, it not being given much emphasis in Germany anyway, and he having had other interests, that she need not bother with a subject she found hard and did not see herself using. Jade had suggested this stick and carrot method in the staffroom; and had also made certain other suggestions.

"After all" said Anett "If you hope to be a researcher of ancient documents, as I understand is your ambition, how then will you be able to tell if a document is fake and a hoax or genuine if you cannot use potioneering tests on it?"

"Why, by look!" said Delfine.

"Oh?" said Anett "Then I suggest you report to the potions dungeon at the beginning of your leisure period where the junior head has arranged – just for you – a demonstration. You may not know" she added "But she deciphered an ancient piece of hitherto untranslated Bactrian logogram because of her knowledge of potioneering; and when she has given you a demonstration, if you ask politely she may even tell you precisely how."

Delfine could no more resist that lure than could a trout resist a fly.

She turned up in the potions dungeon.

Jade smiled austerely at her.

"Fraulein Schrotter" she said "Perhaps you would be good enough to tell me which of these medieval manuscripts in old high German is the genuine one."

Three manuscripts in Germanic black letter script lay on the table. They all looked very old and tatty.

"They – er…." Said Delfine then pointed to the one with the most faded lettering. "That one" she said.

Jade smiled. "And that's one I made earlier" she said. "The one in the middle is also a forgery; a rather interesting forgery that I borrowed for the purpose of this demonstration from my Uncle Lucius' black museum; it's a nineteenth century forgery of a patent of nobility that some clever and fraudulent German tried to use to put on over on one of my Malfoy ancestors; Tiberius Malfoy as it happens, who was among other things a skilled enough potioneer to have his elves steal the document and subject it to a number of tests. He was sufficiently impressed with the rogue that he gave him a bag of gold as well as a flogging, but he kept the evidence with the story of it written down because it tickled his sense of humour. The one on the left is a genuine document dating from about 1390 – the date is too smudged to be clearer than that – and relating to property in the new city of Neubrandenburg being the title deed to land of the Von Strang family. And yes I HAVE tested it to check whether any early Von Strang was as much of a rogue as the last and unlamented baron. Are you interested in having me demonstrate the tests?"

"Er, yes please, Frau Professor" said Delfine.

"It is a mildly destructive process" said Jade "One must take a small portion of each document and dissolve it in a prepared potion; which is then diluted and poured out onto this prepared porous paper which has already been treated with a solution I made earlier – it has to dry in you see – and as it soaks in, you see, the solution reacts with the prepared test paper and leaves a number of lines akin to Malfoy lines. Because I prepared an age-testing solution the number of lines will equal the number of decades of age of the paper. This of course can be circumvented by a forger using genuinely old paper to make his artwork; rather than dyeing it with tea as I have done with my quickie forgery, that I then baked in the oven and crackled the edges. You may see that there is only one line forming on that sheet. The age lines work for parchment too and ink; ink can be lifted on a cotton bud which can be treated with the dissolving solution. And worth testing both. Ink too CAN be tested for composition; because even modern forgeries can be uncovered if an ink is used, say, of a composition that just isn't used in the place it's supposed to have come from. NOW you silly girl will you actually pay attention to Professor Rebet's pearls of wisdom?"

"I didn't know potioneering could do so much!" said Delfine "I will try harder; but what he's teaching doesn't seem to have any relevance to me."

Jade counted to ten silently.

"Permit me to explain a few things" she said "You don't expect to have a new born baby playing quidditch; nor even walking. Learning any new skill requires that first you learn the starting skills, the building blocks. Many of the potions that are taught in schools will never be used by the pupils in their entire lives; who really wants a hair raising potion? But the techniques in each of the potions you learn build on each other to give you a full repertoire of techniques. Some of the mix of ingredients and a particular and complex stirring pattern in the hair raising potion are used in a number of more complex hair care products; which many busy witches may just buy from an apothecary; unless you don't actually want to admit that you are the one woman in a million who has pattern baldness developing in your early thirties; which I HAVE heard of. There's no accounting for vanity! Only the potions to cure such complaints are rather too complex if you haven't perfected and practised that complex little three left, one right, half to the left, half to the right, three left pattern and a failure to do it right can cause, in the hair loss cure potion, all your remaining hair to drop out. A rather embarrassing level of mistake. I use that as an example; just take it from me that just about all the potions you will brew for the first two to three years are merely technique potions; and even at ZH level this is true. No potion master in his right mind would teach a class which might include some of the sillier girls it is possible to encounter how to brew Amortentia, the strongest love potion in the world if he could avoid it; but it has certain techniques in it that are essential to anyone going on to brew potions generally considered beyond the scope of school children. Felix Felicis for example. There are a few rare people who manage without tuition to master a technique of slow release of ingredients with one hand whilst stirring at a steady and prescribed rate with the other hand; but they are the BORN potioneers. For others the easier Amortentia gives the chance to learn the technique."

Jade smiled encouragingly as the girl nodded dubiously, and went on,

"I doubt you'll be taking Potions to ZH; but there is no reason, so long as you work methodically, that you should not, if you work hard, be perfectly capable of duplicating such potions as I have shown you here, to the eventual increase of your repertoire as an expert on ancient documents. It also means a lot of reading up in esoteric potion works to determine what inks were developed when; it's one of those things that isn't gathered together in one book. Maybe you'll be the first person to write a learned treatise on the subject; and if you do, good for you! I can direct you to an article in 'Transactions of the Learned Society of Potioneers' which will give you a starting point; it's in the er July issue 1974; there's a bound copy year by year in the library. It's where I found these tests. I suggest you log it out of the library and make notes; I'll permit that as a leisure activity. You won't understand the methodology of making the potions yet; you haven't covered all the techniques. By this time next year, if you keep up with the class, you should be saying to yourself, 'ah, THAT was what that passage in 'Transactions' meant' and then you will be much wiser about how to follow up that aspect of your eventual research."

"Thank you Professor Von Strang" said Delfine "Why didn't Professor Rebet explain this?"

"Perhaps, Delfine, you were not entirely courteous in asking him to explain why seemingly pointless potions are brewed" said Jade gently "Professor Rebet is used to dealing with spoilt brats at Durmstrang who don't do the lessons they can't be bothered to until constrained to do so by one method or another. He is used to having to force his will on such; rather than explain. I've taught a year in Durmstrang and some of the children are trying. One learns to keep them in check and to look twice at any enquiry to see if it's a genuine enquiry or a form of cheek."

Delfine flushed. She had not been very polite, especially as Professor Rebet had been rushing her through early potions to catch her up.

"I WILL work harder" she said "And please will you tell me about translating the Bactrian text?"

Jade grinned.

"It was apiece of sheer good luck" she said "I recognised straight away the potion for which the writer was listing ingredients; and too I happened to know certain improvements to it my father had made; and so it seemed had this ancient writer. By extrapolation and by the good fortune that he had also left an inventory of his ingredients, I was able to break the passage wide open. There's a copy of my findings and notes by the Runes teacher of Durmstrang, Agalisse Schreiber in the German language publication of 'Translations and Texts' of August two years ago; that's in the library too, though it IS ZH level Runes. There's also a slim volume called 'the potions used in the Bactrian Empire' that Agalisse and I wrote together, though it is at least as much a potioneer's handbook as a treatise on runes. If you hope to be any kind of academic you should really be reading the learned publications in your field or fields, you know; and delving through back copies to find out what has been written over the past few years. Well my dear, you have ten minutes before your bedtime; so I suggest you scoot and make sure you've put all your belongings away. Good night!"

"Good night Frau Professor" said Delfine, dropping a curtsey and taking herself off, a bit better informed on the importance of subjects outside her narrow field of interest. With luck she would stop sulking at Ihor and pick up her game a little!

oOoOo

The school had another visit that week; Jade had felt that the school should have some governors to oversee the development of it and to be a regulatory body that might report to the council; she and Wulf were also on the board of governors and retained ultimate control; but she had asked Eduard Von Frettchen and Graf Kaspar Von Kesselring. The old Count took a great deal of interest in both school and heads who could persuade his grandson to step aside from a potentially brilliant career in politics before taking more of an interest in family lands and take up teaching instead, and moreover, teaching of the lowest in society. He had been impressed by the force and drive of Nefrita Von Strang on the council; and was ready to see proof that the English were right to educate goblins; and now he wanted to meet the children of the school for himself, now there had been enough time for it to settle down and any small problems to be smoothed out. And if there was no obvious reason that goblins and low-bloods should not be educated he would then consider putting funding into another school.

There was a third external governor; and that was Albus Dumbledore.

Jade knew that though he planned to stand aside from David Fraser's first year as headmaster he would find it impossible not to poke his inquisitive nose in after that; and thought that so experienced a man could give a lot to her school; and too it would be something close to Albus' own heart to be promoting education for under privileged minorities.

Eduard Von Frettchen was curious to meet the man who had defeated Gellert Grindelwald and who had trained Severus Snape to be such a formidable foe; and he was frankly surprised by the gentle eyed, genial figure of Albus Dumbledore. Until they were chatting about the changes in Germany, when blue fire flashed in anger at some of the abuses that were taken for granted in Germany, and the jovial voice became shrewd and incisive.

"I think you are an even more extraordinary man than your reputation suggests, Herr Dumbledore" said Eduard. "I imagine you keep your political enemies off balance by your good humour in thinking you not in any way dangerous."

"I'm not; unless people go out of their way to cause me or my charges harm" said Albus. "Generally I look upon most people with tolerance; often amused tolerance. I have many faults myself; who am I to cast stones at minor faults in others? But I will not tolerate rudeness or intolerance towards anyone under my protection. It seems strange to some people that one may be simultaneously courteous to all and willing to see the best in everyone and yet to be ready to fight if need be; those crass fools who mistake good nature and politeness for weakness because they are such limited types that rude demanding behaviour is all they know as a means to show their supposed superiority. Though I do not necessarily go as far as Severus, who has been known to say that you get more with a kind word and a level wand than you do with just a kind word."

"Severus is known for his sarcasm and ready biting wit however" said Eduard. "Yes I can hear him say that; and knowing him from the point of view of an adversary equally well aware that he doesn't even bother with the threat of a wand and that it's a comment made for effect. Severus warns twice, the second warning with a demonstration, and then just deals with a problem. Like his daughter."

"And both will do their best to rehabilitate rather than kill" said Albus gently "Severus is a great believer in second chances."

"Yes; else I had not been alive today" said Eduard "And you are my brother; I'm still getting used to recognising it."

"I stood back from joining the group – though I had a link through Severus when he saved my life from one of Tom's Horcruces using blood magic – until I had to join fully by giving my hand for my son. He was a ghost you see" said Albus.

"I didn't know you had children" said Von Frettchen.

"Oh I embarked on fatherhood by reducing the unfortunate Helmut Hesse to childhood" said Albus "Who Lydia chanted over to make him of my blood; then a muggleborn child was forced to commit suicide by his parents for being a wizard and his sisters ran away into my protection; and as Abraxus Malfoy had restored HIS girlfriend into her interred bones with a ritual and the sacrifice of his hand, I didn't see why I shouldn't do the same and have a son out of it. The little girls offered blood for his restoration too, as did the whole blood group; and we had to use bone of his ancestors because he'd been cremated. But Severus sorted it out, and nobody is quite as good at running rituals as Severus. He's a remarkable man; and has overcome no end of difficulties. And was as close as a son to me as I had before I became a father to children. And still really my oldest son; I love Severus very dearly, the more perhaps because he's not easy to get to know."

"He's a very complex man" said Eduard. "Well, shall we look at this school?"

"I'm looking forward to it" said Albus.

oOoOo

The three visitors were greeted politely in each class by children rising for them; which was still something Eduard found hard to adjust too even in Durmstrang; and Von Kesselring was taken by surprise.

They chatted to members of each of the class; visiting the upper fourth first.

"How do you find education young man?" Von Kesselring asked Ktell, picking on the only half breed.

"Wonderful, sir" said Ktell "The more you learn the more you find there is to learn; in a way I guess I only regret that I can't spend all my life learning. But I'm coming up sixteen so I'm keen to move forward; and though I may be taking only one ZP to take on to ZH, Herr Professor Luytens says I may take other ZP's alongside it. I'm taking Defence against the Dark Arts further, but I'd like to convert the ZAP in Arithmancy and Potions to ZP – assuming I pass at ZAP – so I can be a curse breaker's assistant."

"A commendable ambition" said Von Kesselring. "I believe you'll find that the exam is called Dark Arts; I hope you won't find you've missed out on any points in learning the English fashion."

"Fraulein Professor Mondschein, who is our teacher, says that the English subject gives a greater depth to the subject and covers all of the ZP and more, sir" said Ktell. "It is fascinating; and one may readily see why the weak willed are seduced into thinking the Dark Arts stronger than proper study. I plan to study on my own time after I leave school to make sure I am not dependant purely on the quick path; but I am not so good a student as some."

"I must say that if you are considered to have a realistic chance at a ZAP AND a ZP after only one year of study that you have done remarkably well" said Von Kesselring.

"Oh both my friends, Kole and Gunnar, are taking three and four ZP's; and Kole, who's just awkward, is taking Runes as an extra on top of the five core subjects we've been accelerated in."

"It's fascinating" said Kole. "Gunnar's the year's top student; he's just got so much talent, but then he's from the local village so he's probably got the blood of the Von Strangs in him and generations of selective breeding for raw power plus the hybrid vigour to defeat the excessive incestuous weakening of pure blood families."

Ktell kicked him.

"TACT you muffin!" he said.

"Well that's what Frau Professor Von Strang says!" said Kole, injured.

Eduard and Albus were laughing; Von Kesselring looked briefly outraged and then he laughed too.

"Alas, there are families who are weakened by too much inbreeding" he agreed. "The Frau Baronin is rather outspoken, however!"

The governors moved on after a brief encouraging word to the whole class.

oOoOo

The first were the next class and the twenty two children leaped to their feet in the potions dungeon with horrible scraping noises of their stools. Ihor Rebet rolled his eyes heavenwards at such enthusiasm.

The truth was that the first were determined to be smart; Ulvik had overheard Jade and Wulf discussing the visit and had passed around the idea that the first should show well to the governors.

They stood to attention quietly.

"Please resume your seats and carry on with the tasks you are undertaking" said Albus "Potioneering is a delicate art not to be interrupted."

"Kind of you sir" said Ihor "Fortunately they are taking notes at the moment. Fraulein Mittwoch perhaps you'll sum up what we have been studying."

Viva rose.

"We've been studying the fact that most potions come with counter potions or antidotes" she said "And that the term antidote is not entirely accurate because it implies a nullification of an adverse effect. A counter potion merely reverses the effect but may itself have an effect that can be reversed by the potion it counters. The classic examples are not strictly speaking potions, but the effects of alihotsy and Glumbumble juice are a case in point."

"Thank you Fraulein; Herr Schliemann, would you care to tell the governors whose law is involved in this process?"

Manfred went slightly pink as he stood.

"Golapott" Ulvik hissed from behind him.

"The law is Golapott's first law" said Manfred, with a surreptitious wave of thanks "Whose first law states that any counter potion must be equal to or exceed the potion which it is to counter in the power of the ingredients."

"Does anyone know the corollary?" asked Albus "Ah, I see one of you does" he said as Ulvik's hand went up. "I wondered if you might."

Ulvik stood.

"The corollary is that those potions designed to counter each other, which are known as opposition potions, must balance each other in power and efficacy precisely" he said.

"Damn it, lad, we hadn't covered that yet!" said Ihor. Ulvik beamed.

"No sir; but I read about it in 'Transactions' because there was a hot debate on why Golapott's first law is not assumed in the third and Professor Snape wrote a particularly sarcastic little diatribe that if anyone actually went back to Golapott's originally published treatise and read it – he implied that words of more than two syllables might trouble anyone who would raise such a question – they would find that the first law covered opposition potions that the third law does not and if they were still no wiser they should read Golapott when, if they were still no wiser they would at least be better informed."

Ihor, Eduard and Albus all laughed.

"Classic Severus" said Albus.

"Well you don't at least have to trouble with Golapott's third law for a few years yet" said Eduard "Though I strongly suspect if you went back to Golapott you can cite it, hmm?"

"Yes sir; but it's one of those things I don't have to strive to remember yet as you say" said Ulvik. "But I need to be ahead on theory because I'm not in the same class as someone like Manfred or Viva or Ebert so if I plan to take potioneering seriously I must work hard."

"Tell me young man, why would you want to take potioneering seriously when it is not universally rated as a valued skill?" asked Von Kesselring. Ulvik looked surprised.

"Oh but the TOP wizards in the world know it's one of the most useful and important skills; it's the most subtle, next perhaps to chanting, and you can bewitch the mind, ensnare the senses, bottle fame, brew glory and even stopper death. You can do far more with a potion than with a mere spell…gusundheit sir" he added as Albus coughed. In the cough was the word "Severus!"

"Thus the generally accepted view of Odessa-trained wizards put in place by an eleven year old disciple of the greatest potioneer in the world" said Eduard. "Who's your worst student, Herr Rebet?"

"Fraulein Gan Naldo is the one who scores least well; though she has only been with us since Yule" said Ihor.

Ria rose.

"I studied however with a kind lady who prepared several of us" she said "I fear I may just be untalented; I can't look at a bunch of ingredients like Ebert can, say, and predict what sort of potion you could make of them. But he really is the best in the class though he joined after me with NO preparation."

"A prodigy" said Eduard "Where is the redoubtable Ebert?"

Ebert stood.

"I was sponsored by one of the Austrians hoping to start a new school there, sir" he said "I was making a living with potions so I've had plenty of practice; but I've managed to catch up most of the other subjects. I'm not taking either of the voluntary subjects."

"Bless my soul! What are they?" asked Albus.

"Geomancy and Comparative Magic sir" said Ebert.

"A full curriculum indeed" said Albus.

"But those of us with divining skills have to learn in our own time out of books because we don't have a teacher" added Ria.

"A fuller curriculum than Durmstrang" said Eduard dryly "Ambitious of Herr Professor Luytens; do you feel overly stretched with so large and potentially confusing a curriculum, young lady?"

"No sir" said Ria "I'm excused History and Runes because I'm dire at them and not that interested; and I'm hoping to pass potions with ruthlessly applied Arithmancy. I'm quite good at Geomancy however, so with luck I can get a job in a transport office or in teaching what is still a rare skill; or with the divination work as a finder for an Inquisitor, I forget what Germans call them because it sounds like somebody gargling."

"Vehmgericht" said Ebert.

"One of them" said Ria equably. "There's a divining geomancer in England who's going to be a finder. Professor Von Strang told me about him. His friend Gorbrin Malfoy is going to be an English inquisitor."

"No end of ambition; and with skills to back it up that's no bad thing at all" grunted Von Kesselring. "I'll be interested to look over the class results before we leave; but the idea seems justified. Frankly if one shut one's eyes one might suppose oneself to be talking to human children; and the brighter end ones at that."

"Sir" said Ulvik "It's because everyone here WANTS an education; and is prepared to work hard for it. For those who've had it by right for generations, it's not the privilege it is for us nor, frankly, the necessity. Many of us, though not all, are hoping to use an education to lift us out of grinding poverty; to break the poverty trap and to pass on too what we have learned so that Germany may be a shining example of education where poverty is a thing of the past and where merit is rewarded."

"Well young idealist, I don't think we caught your name" said Von Kesselring.

"Sir, my name is now Ulvik Von Luytens; and so I can afford to be outspoken and if necessary offend people by speaking truth" said Ulvik.

"He's his mother's son" said Eduard "You'll go far young Ulvik; if nobody assassinates you first."

Ulvik grinned.

"If they strike me down I will become more powerful than they could possibly imagine" he quoted – Jade had shown the marauders a few films – and added "And that because not only will they irritate my family, I will then become a martyr, and a symbol."

"And DO bear in mind, Von Kesselring" said Albus dryly, to the one governor who might still be slightly sceptical, "The last person to irritate his family was Gerhardt Grindelwald and Odessa."

Von Kesselring nodded slowly.

"Yes, of course; and I suspect you do know exactly the risks you will be taking; and I wish you good luck!" he said. "I certainly feel that I am fully behind this venture; fully behind it. Thank you for your time, children; time for us to move on."

oOoOo

The second were in a Charms class and the governors were in time to hear Ritter's slightly exasperated voice saying

"Fraulein Schrotter, let me remind you that there is a charm that will be of essential relevance to anyone ploughing through old documents; Scarpin's Revellaspell will be able to warn you if there is any text that has a curse embedded for anyone reading it since Voldemort was NOT the first person to use such a measure nor is he likely to be the last. And to be able to cancel repelling charms and unreadable charms on a document might also be of some small use to you; so pray stop looking like a dying duck in a thunderstorm and buck up your ideas or I'm going to put you in detention."

The governors, having let him wind up, walked in and that class rose, one human girl with a look of relief and 'saved by the governors' written all over her face.

"Any problems Herr Kesselring?" said Ritter's grandfather formally.

"No sir" said Ritter firmly. "The class as a whole are good at charms; it makes it difficult for the two who are less talented to feel motivated is all."

"Ah" said Von Kesselring thinking 'ah so he has a lazy little cow who can't keep up and doesn't intend to try'; which was close enough to the truth. Delfine actually was digesting what Ritter had said and was determining to try harder; it seemed that more things actually affected her field of choice than she had realised!

"It is hard to be one of those struggling I'm sure" said Albus.

"Well at least the two have it the other way around in Transfigurations as I'm told" grinned Ritter "Professor Bane says that as a whole the class is somewhere between dire and demonic with four he'd call adequate or better. Sometimes it goes like that as I understand."

"I recall at Durmstrang my class were quite hopeless at Arithmancy" said Eduard "Three people had trouble adding up if they didn't use their fingers; but one of them at least was a brilliant transfigurationist. I can only advise those of you who are behind in any subject to persevere; I have often regretted dropping Arithmancy just because I found it hard. I understand many of this class were prepared by sundry of you young teachers while the school was being set up?"

"Yes sir" said Ritter "I prepared Fraulein Gan Guthic and another, older couple of kids who have worked hard to pull up towards their chronological age; many of this class were prepared by Professor Mondschein, one by Clovis Gierek who's teaching now in Durmstrang, Fraulein Schrotter went to a small school with just three subjects, having only one teacher and the rest come from various locations and have worked to catch up to the second to be in or near their proper age group; the option to have a wider range of subjects by joining the second was considered by some to be preferable to working to get into the third and be likely to be only taking five or six subjects. The core of the third having already been to small schools of four or five subjects that they could build on to seven or eight" he added.

"Admirable industry whichever choice was taken" said Von Kesselring. "I must say I do think that choosing the wider range of subjects to broaden the options seems wise to me; but equally I can see older children wanting to attain as high a level of education as they can quickly. Carry on the good work children; I'm sure you'll all manage very well with a bit of application."

oOoOo

The third, in transfigurations, were demonstrating that they were moderately capable, being busy turning hedgehogs into pincushions and if one pincushion still had spines not pins and had a tendency to wander off the rest seemed to have ably completed the task.

Professor Bane absently fielded the wandering pincushion with a nice bit of wand work as the class rose and restored it to its owner's desk as Eduard asked them to be seated again.

"Advanced" said Eduard.

"Object to animal and Cross species switches depend so very much on the expectations of the pupils" said Mortimer "And I'm having to learn a whole new set of assimilative correlation by nomenclature; in English the words 'guinea fowl' and 'Guinea pig' suggest immediate correlation; in German 'Perlhuhn' and 'Meerschweinchen' have none. We've gone from Meerschwienchen to Meerschaum, which as many children have seen pipe smoking is reasonable but I'm debating the relative merits for the cross species switch of meerkat and schweine. And we have no association between dormice and teapots because our streetkids are NOT familiar with Alice in Wonderland. Under the circumstances they're doing jolly well; but I'm using any correlation they might be familiar with, not necessarily one that's precisely according to the curriculum I know. It must be very difficult for non German kids in Durmstrang with entirely different languages and cultural traditions."

"I hadn't considered it; but there were a lot of kids who had difficulty now you mention it" said Eduard. "You seem to be doing an admirable job however; and you're about to lose that pincushion again so perhaps we had better stop being under your feet and leave you to it; the lunch bell is due in any case I believe."

"Yes sir; thank you" said Mortimer.

He recaptured the errant pincushion as the bell went, restored it, and returned it to its cage. Martina could try again next time.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

The governors looked over the records of class scores in the Head's office.

"The improvement in the case of the accelerated students is dramatic" said Albus "Have you had any problems with hysteria or illness as a result?"

"None at all, Albus; bar one case of talking in the sleep, and that child's load was significantly relaxed" said Wulf. "We built plenty of leisure time into even so extreme a curriculum; some of the children were already used to working sixteen hour days in a factory setting, especially those who came from the orphanage, which seemed happy to drive them to death. By comparison for some of them it would have been a rest cure had they not been having to use brains previously neglected and atrophied from the mind numbing influence of too much hard work and crushing, depressing poverty. Many of them doing jobs, may I say, that could have been significantly eased with only as much education in charms as a second year student is wont to have gained. Even minimal education would ease the lot of the poorest and moreover increase productivity. You have to realise, however, that in some ways we have, on the whole, the brightest and the best; of those older ones they are the ones whose spirits have not been crushed and depressed but are able to see more for themselves and who are able to lift themselves from the apathy that such crushing poverty generally drops people into and force themselves into unaccustomed work. Those who have the will power will achieve more than those who could care less. And in some ways that counts more than intellect. Some – well one or two – just see it as a way of stealing a march on others; I'm thinking of one lad in particular who is therefore NOT a good scholar; because he is essentially lazy and just wants to avoid being a factory worker and think schooling a soft option. But he's from the orphanage and we promised them all a chance if they could get enough out of a wand. And he HAS pulled up his game for finding that others overtook him; so I have hopes. A few came from small schools expecting to be better than the rest and being in some cases disappointed; but on the whole they're doing very well. Remember Albus, the accelerated class did double periods of only five subjects; no more than a normal OWL student in Hogwarts, with the extra weekend classes for just the first term; and in small classes once they've peeled off into year groupings, the upper fourth accelerator class can proceed faster than a big class of thirty or more."

"I take your points" said Albus. "It's been well thought out."

"Thank you; it was mostly Jade" said Wulf "And Severus and I put in ideas; then ran it past the other staff and THEY put in ideas; and it was gently modified until everyone was comfortable with it, which helps any system. And now as you all seem happy I'd like to ask for a little leaning on the Ministry of Education."

"I don't think you're going to need more time" said Eduard "And it was actually rather assumed that you'd take two years to get the majority of your older kids to the ZAP level anyway; it's only been introduced this year as a sop; and because you and Severus have adult protégés."

"Oh it isn't that" said Wulf "I'd like the exam board to come into line with the English and French system; that someone taking ZP's who fails by a small margin any one or more of the key three can be issued with a ZAP covering that, so that they can be proven to have covered the subject to some year or so short of the ZP level; David Fraser just pushed it past the exam board in England as France do it and it seemed a good idea."

"I KNEW he was a more than able successor" said Albus in satisfaction.

"He's a good man" said Wulf. "I would too like to have my students need to take no more exams than necessary; such that if they are taking a ZP that can also cover the ZAP; so they can have the certificate. An 'O' grade at ZAP is not as good as a ZP but they could be credited at 'O' because there's no higher."

"I don't see why it shouldn't be logged as 'O+'" said Eduard "So anyone looking knows to go look for higher qualifications. Yes, it's ridiculous to take two exams; and if they don't scrape the ZP then it counts as a ZAP. And the grade of ZAP can be extrapolated in the precise percentage mark in the fail. The percentage of a 'P' grade covers some twelve per cent; if the top two are an 'O' grade, the next four, or maybe three, an 'E' and the rest 'A' that should work. I can push that through for you. Ridiculous to take up the times of the examiners in having two different tests for the same subject for the same child; as it stands, those only taking ZAP can sit in the same classroom with different test papers; those adding a ZP to the ZAP certificate can have that stamped onto the top of their ZP exam paper. Easy enough; and the examiners will prefer to cut down on work too. As they already have to visit a new school. Self-enlightened creative laziness will do it, and help your students too."

"Definitely worthy of a Ferret!" grinned Wulf.

The governors went off impressed; and school settled down to normal. It may be said that the governors were also fluorescing about the nether regions because it had to be done when there were marauders in the school to do it.

And when Albus found out he had no more qualms that all work and no play might make the pupils dull children; they had enough mischief to be perfectly normal.

Eduard had already had the fluorescent fart curse practised on him by Wilhelm and Serrick and merely sighed gently; and Kaspar Von Kesselring was wont to be indignant at first then pulled out an anecdote of what he and his friends had done once to a governor in his young days at Durmstrang, for which they had avoided a caning since they were never caught and the governor could never prove it was anyone in the school who fed him a babbling potion as the headmaster of the time discovered no evidence of a babbling curse and could not stop the effect with _finite incantatem_; and nobody had thought of a potion.

It warmed him too in that reminiscence to Ulvik and his declaration that potioneering was the subtlest art.

oOoOo

The school meanwhile carried on regardless if a trifle warily; Ulvik and friends knew, because Jade had mentioned it in front of Ulvik, that visits from school governors were normal sort of occurrences and not to be worried about. However in the second, Bric gan Sarric, who disliked Delfine's air of superiority and had her down as a 'stuck up human bitch' in his own mind took the opportunity to taunt her that as she had been being ticked off when the governors arrived, if anyone got thrown out of the school it would be her; because that was what inspectors did.

"Bite your tongue, you dimwit" said Cnebbic "If they were inspectors of that sort they'd ruthlessly drill the lot of us in all subjects not just look around; and they'd find that the dunce of the class is the one who doesn't actually try, now who can that be, oh wait it's you! Delfine's pulling herself together no end; she's a bit rarefied but hey, y'know, it takes all sorts; and I'd rather have her than you because she's prettier, which is no good reason but I could care less. Somehow I think that Professor Kesselring would have been less laid back if it had been any kind of test too."

"He wouldn't have shown anything in front of us" said Bric "Perhaps they want to shut the school down and having a class that's poor at charms is their excuse! Those of us who are not poor at charms should write and ask them to give us another chance and only to throw out the duff ones!"

"You are an excuse for an ape!" said Higith scornfully. "It's a pretty silly idea to go to the expense of setting up a school only to close it before we've even any of us had a chance to show what we can do in the exams."

"But it IS only an excuse because they don't want educated goblins at all and I bet they DO want to shut it down!" insisted Bric.

Rumour, when pessimistic, flies on its own form of wings faster than thought; and Biirta marched to the Headmaster's study and knocked.

"Herein!" called Wulf. Biirta entered and curtseyed.

"Please sir" she said "Is it true that those governor people were coming to look for an excuse to shut down the school? It's all over the school that they're either going to do that or get rid of those pupils they think unsatisfactory."

"Merlin's pants, where DOES such rubbish materialise?" said Wulf in disgust. "Sit down my dear and I'll get you some coffee; and then let me tell you first that my wife and I are two of the governors and we have the controlling interest in the school; since it's paid for out of my wife's pocket entirely and the only reason to have extra governors is to have outsiders who can give us an opinion about anything they may see that needs addressing; and, being powerful men, can be of use to us in bullying – er taking our views to the ministry of education. Which, by the way, has NO say in the school either; only on the regulation of exams set."

Biirta grinned at his slip of the tongue.

"So it's something you set up sir, not something that's been imposed on us?"

"Yes; Herzog Eduard Von Frettchen is also a governor of Durmstrang so he can make comparisons – and is complaining that our curriculum and keen pupils make Durmstrang look bad and is talking of trying to improve it – and thus comment very fairly. Professor Dumbledore was fifty years the headmaster of Hogwarts, that paradigm of schools and what he does NOT know about education could be written large on a fingernail. Graf Kaspar Von Kesselring is grandfather to our own Professor Kesselring and is a big noise on the council also; and known to be incorruptible. And he's planning on financing other schools too. Eduard Von Frettchen, who's a friend of mine and my wife's, has helped with funding of various civic improvement projects and would like to set up schools of a more universal appeal for those of the poor who do NOT have your academic excellence; even as we are setting up training in trades for those orphans who were not of the calibre of those who have come here. They will learn magical skills alongside such training and may be hoped to take a ZAP after five or six years training, though in addition to the three compulsory subjects they will be trained in enchantment and either Herbology or care of magical beasts, dependant on their forte, and whether they are being trained in farming or beast care. Those training in farming may even take Herbology and care of beasts and not enchantment. There's some flexibility but not a lot; not all will even pass a ZAP if they start at eleven and study until adulthood."

"But – but if I had seven years I'd be a poor sort if I couldn't get heaps of ZPs and ZH's!" said Biirta "How can they fail a ZAP?"

Wulf smiled sadly.

"Because, my dear, you are bright and motivated; and most people, I fear, are neither. We can give them the best possible tools to go into the world as well prepared as they are capable of achieving; and if they learn enough magic to do simple grooming spells and make life easier, well it's an improvement. And with luck the law may even advance to permit goblins to carry wands when adult regardless of educational status so they too may perform such minor everyday magic. And at that, they'll still have a better education that about half of the people in England; where education is NOT universal, merely open to all. And apart from two schools, all private education, with one big, well equipped school with a plethora of subjects – Hogwarts – and many small dame schools, such as those you've heard about from some of our pupils, offering as many subjects; three to five generally. The free school in London offers almost as much as Hogwarts; almost as much as we do. We were lucky that Professor Von Strang has an excellent line in fast talking to con – er persuade – so many of her ex schoolmates into joining us. And there will be more schools; my daughter, who is head girl of Prince Peak is planning on teaching alongside her boyfriend, whom she plans to marry, and sundry of HER schoolfriends; they are waiting for another year until all of them leave school. She and Sebastian – he will be Professor Cantripp – may come to help with remedial studies here for a year, or help out in the orphanage. Or they may travel with Frau Rebet and Fraulein Hellibore to assist in their healing endeavour; we are to host also a free hospital from next year built within the Von Strang grounds, which will also be a teaching hospital for those who want to qualify as healers. You and Magda might be interested."

Biirta beamed.

"It's certainly a thought!" she said. "May I ask why?"

"Certainly; I'll even tell you" said Wulf. Biirta grinned in appreciation of his dry humour. He went on, "The problem is that many hospitals are slow to accept the considerable healing that can be done by chanting; mostly because some of the more spectacular chants have been performed by the children of Professor Snape, who DID after all reinvent it. And Healers are highly trained and rather – many of them – pleased with themselves because they are great personages who save life and limb; and they resent more being done with apparently less effort by snotty schoolchildren. My wife was your age – no a year younger; she was up a year on her age – when she cured a seriously twisted back. At two years older than you she healed the lungs of our own Professor Rebet damaged – the healers said irreparably – by some fool brat dropping noxious stuff in the potions dungeon. And we have the three Spanish children and there is to be a school in Spain because the daughter of a wealthy man will live to adulthood and have a healthy life – because of chanting. There is a French healer who believes in it; and because a quidditch player was healed by chanting the French are inclined to believe. But the English and German healers do not. So the father of some Prince Peak children – whose younger son was healed from a tremendous deformation by Professor Snape himself – is planning to set up a hospital dedicated to open mindedness and to healing those conditions all other healers have given up on. And we are to be the hosts as we already have travelling healers. You see, with an accredited senior healer as a leader sending them out, they are less likely to have trouble; St Bernard's Hospital will have a uniform, and uniforms are respected in Germany."

Biirta nodded.

"It seems incredible that something so jolly clever should be ignored" she said. "I think it would be a good idea if Magda and I studied it to ZP alongside any ZH's we take – if we're good enough."

"I agree" said Wulf "It's an OWL at the moment; no ZP in it. The exam board in Germany is still reeling from introducing Geomancy; the idea of another new exam in the same century is a bit much for their poor little brains to cope with and I never put it that way to a pupil."

Biirta chuckled.

"No sir" she said. "How many new exams has England coped with?"

"Geomancy, nearly ten years ago, then Comparative Magic, Chanting, and over the last couple of years Metalwork, Art in Magic, Music in Magic and Quidditch Theory" said Wulf. "And anyone who comes here with musical or artistic talent we're turning over to Prince Peak; and we'll be sending our resident quidditch geniuses there too for the sixth form. Oh yes, and care of beasts is split into two, care of domestic beasts and care of big scary things with teeth. And there's a move afoot to split history into three exams; Ancient History, English History and European History. It makes sense; we live in exciting academic times and hopefully the world will follow where England leads; but it will probably be very, very slowly."

"But English qualifications are given credence, aren't they?" asked Biirta "All countries accept the validity of each other's exams surely?"

"Oh yes; and that's why we have no qualms about putting you in for any as seems necessary, like those who study chanting" said Wulf. "Though it is generally acknowledged that the French qualifications are a little easier than everyone else's. By the by, why were you chosen to come and ask me about the rumours?"

"I guess I chose myself" said Biirta "Because everyone else was discussing and moaning and crying and fussing and wondering what WOULD happen; so it seemed best to actually come and find out."

"Very well done my dear" said Wulf. "You had probably better go and pass on the good news that they are all raising a storm in a cauldron."

It looked as though the head girl for the next two years had been chosen by default as the one who actually went to find out.

oOoOo

Biirta had learned fast and well; and managed a sonorous spell to carry to all the common rooms.

"You lot of idiots might like to know what the headmaster had to say about your spuriously imaginative maunderings" she said.

"He said it was a lot of hogwash, right?" said Ktell in her own common room "Kole and me have been trying to tell the little ones that."

"He wondered where such rubbish might materialise if you want the way he put it" said Biirta "The governors were chosen – CHOSEN mark you – by the Head and Junior Head as an advisory body and to carry our Head's views forcibly if necessary to the Ministry of Education because they're powerful men. And one of them WAS the fabled Professor Dumbledore and so anyone who's been whispering that was quite right" she added "Because he's forgotten more about education than most people even learn. And one of them is Professor Kesselring's grandfather so I should think he's likely to be fairly partisan for the school and the trump card, who's a duke, is a personal friend of the heads so stop this wailing and woe and try to be mildly civilised." She cancelled the spell.

"You're a snide cow when you put your mind to it" said Kole.

"Thank you" said Biirta. "Now if you two have been pacifying brats perhaps you'll help me find out where the rumour originated and we'll see if it was paranoia or malice."

"It was, so far as I can gather, because Bric gan Sarric was taunting that silly moo in the second whose name I can't recall who thinks that runes and history are all there is in the world" said Kole, himself very much the school expert on runes from a self imposed regimen of study.

"Delfine" said Biirta "Give the kid a break; she's had her head addled by some weirdo old boy who thinks books were made to be worshipped especially if they're in a language nobody has spoken since we all lived in mud huts. I think some of us older ones ought to see Bric and find out how much was careless talk and how much was malice."

"Oh why?" said Magda "It's all blown over now; least said, soonest mended."

"Because my beautiful but all too peaceable friend" said Biirta grimly "We've seen before when a kid in the orphanage spread rumour how much damage it did; especially if it was rumour about someone. And some of the talk I was hearing when I went to see the head was about who was going to get thrown out; and panicked declarations that it should not be the panicker but this person or that person; and that leads to bad feeling. And we're the seniors and it's up to us because it isn't the responsibility of the staff. How upset were the first years, Ktell?"

"Oh not at all; they'd already believed the Head's son that Bric and co were talking from their backsides" said Ktell "They were staying well out of it playing exploding snap in teams to drown out the noise, bless the little horrors!"

"Well they seem sensible kiddies!" said Biirta.

"I think, if my opinion is valid" said Shizue "That we should send him a written warning from all the seniors, signed by all of us to show we work together, that we consider rumour-mongering to be a discredit to the school and if he has any valid excuse he may then present it to us or otherwise accept a rebuke. A warning; and come down hard if he does it again. There will be a sixth form next year; it is possible that some of our group may be chosen to be prefects who will then have greater powers of minor punishment. And so have legitimate right to come down hard."

"The wisdom of the serpent; yes, I like it Shizue" said Biirta. "A rebuke; NOT jinxing into a ball. And if he takes no notice and we do NOT have prefects then we might legitimately take it to his form teacher. Here, Kole, you're the runes expert; you write something that sounds vaguely impressive."

"Only if I can do it in Ancient Greek" said Kole "I'm no wordsmith! You're the one with the extensive vocabulary and wit and all that."

Birrta received nods of agreement all round, sighed, and took up her pen.

"We, the undersigned, have had it brought to our notice that you, Bric gan Sarric, are responsible for the rumours of school closure and wholesale expulsions; which being so, your tongue is at best irresponsible and at worst malicious since some distress has resulted from this calumnious untruth. If you have any mitigation you should wish to forward, the senior class will gladly hear it. Otherwise you should consider yourself under warning and duly rebuked and watched forthwith for any other such mischief making. Signed:"

She signed it herself and the rest of the Upper Fourth appended their signatures.

"I'll take it" said Gunnar "He won't attack me as the messenger; I'm four times wider and twice as tall as him as well as way more able than he'll ever be."

"He wouldn't attack you anyway; he's a coward" said Gauda "And Biirta's quite right that we have to take some action because he used to get back at people he didn't like in the orphanage by taunting them that this or that was going to happen to them. Or sneak to the director. He has no moral scruples at all."

"You know him best; thanks for that confirmation" said Biirta "I sort of had the feeling that anyone who spreads rumours at his age has probably done it before."

Bric received a note from a big boy with some surprise; read it; coloured and looked angry as he screwed it up and hurled it at the fireplace.

They had no RIGHT to censure him!

Well one day he would make them pay; but in the meantime he would jolly well see that they forgot to watch him – how DARE they – so he COULD pay them back!

As the only feeling he had experienced when Biirta had used her sonorous to carry to all children to quash the rumours was mild disappointment that he had not got more mileage out of it he would doubtless have tried to make mischief again had he not been under senior observation; so the letter had at least probably delayed a potential problem. But it had not made it go away.

oOoOo

Meanwhile Wulf had a letter from Eduard to the effect that the exams board had been more than happy to fall in with his suggestions to make life easier; and had been easily enough manipulated into accepting the French and English way of presenting ZAP level qualifications as easy enough and reflecting well on them to be able to say that a higher percentage of entrants had passed some degree of qualification. Von Frettchen was as superb a manipulator as Lucius in his own environment.

oOoOo

The growing warmth of the spring had the children outside for as much of their spare time as they could; and they generally slept, in consequence, the deep dreamless sleep of the tired and happy child.

One night however Ulvik was rudely awakened by being shaken.

"'S'matter?" he managed

"Wake up Ulvik! I HAVE to talk to the heads!" said Berthold "I've had a dream they HAVE to hear!"

Ulvik was bolt upright.

"One of THOSE sorts of dreams huh? I'm awake" he said, swinging out of bed. It may be noted that neither small boy actually thought to bother with such things as slippers or dressing gown but padded along to the private rooms of Wulf and Jade on bare feet in their nightgowns.

Wulf opened to their knocking.

"I hope this is good" he growled "Ulvik? Is someone ill?"

"Berthold's had one of those dreams of his" said Ulvik tersely "He needs to tell you and mum; because."

"Ah; quite" said Wulf "Come in; I'll put a kettle on. If you boys snuggle into the bottom of the bed – NO slippers you silly children – you may tell us all about it."

"It was daylight in the dream" said Berthold "Though I don't think by much; and there were people attacking the school and a man in peculiar clothes chanting and these fiery ghost things appeared. I was scared; and there were flashes of green light and people dropped dead and they were shouting things about goblin scum."

"Ah" said Jade "A pity that dreams can't be placed in the Pensieve; it's one of their limitations. I however am one of the greatest legilimenses on earth; and though you have described that extremely well I'd like if you will permit me in, to check my deductions."

"Of course ma'am; anything you need" said Berthold.

Jade leaned forward and cupped his chin in one of her cool soothing hands, laying the other on his forehead as she looked into his troubled eyes.

"Ah yes; as I thought from your excellent description; an Arabian Spirit-Master and efreeti" she said "He'll be in for a bit of a surprise; we've a fey barrier in place around the school. That nullifies those enemies; the wizards are another matter. I strongly suspect they have never been of Odessa, for we rounded most of them up; but even so, Odessa went too far for your ordinary racist in the street with its declared intent to enslave muggles. Most sensible people realise, however much they may despise muggles, that the statute of secrecy is our main protection; those who live near large concentrations of goblins – which is to say Berlin and Munich – also know that there's a hell of a lot of muggles and if they have cause to fear and so hate goblins, enslaving muggles to boot would be yet another group to fear. Such people probably welcomed the fall of Odessa as a bunch of nuts; they might even go along with pacifying goblins with a few more rights; but they won't lie down for a school for goblins and the blood-tainted. Shadows are about the right length for this time of year; moon's setting; Ulvik, pass me the Acme Almanac; actually look up yourself if moonset this morning is about an hour after sunrise."

"It is" said Ulvik.

Jade nodded and withdrew her mind from Berthold, smiling at him.

"I think when we've time, young man, I should start to teach you some legilimensy; not so much for use as such, but as a self legilimensy so you can meditate and recall your dreams in vivid detail. You would not, even had you been already so trained, have had the ability to recognise the fabulous and gaudy robes of a Spirit-Master; nor, having never had dealings with any fey, would you have known what efreet are; those studying comparative magic or high level dark arts might have some chance but they are rather out of the ken of y'average wizard of any age, especially a schoolboy. It's about two hours to sunrise; time to get ready. Drink the coffee Wulf has prepared; then go and rouse your fellow marauders and get dressed. Then you may waken the upper fourth boys; your two girls to see about getting up the girls. They won't learn any younger. Make sure you tell them it's volunteers only; it's not compulsory. You may blood pulse Mava and Ria to come to your dorm; and sundry staff should start arriving any moment now as I've pulsed all the adult group."

Indeed the first loud TAC! Had brought Ritter into the room still putting on a dressing gown and missing one slipper.

"You can go and dress properly in a minute" said Jade calmly "You boys scoot; I'll see you in the great hall in half an hour with your reprobates. You have nothing to fear; you are blooded, and the killing curse cannot touch you."

Ulvik and Berthold duly scooted, pulsing all their friends firmly to wake them. They had not the control for any more complex message yet; but it was the first time they had used the urgent summons; and it was as exciting as it was scary!

oOoOo

Meanwhile Jade explained calmly to assembled blooded staff; Wulf had gone to organise breakfast and Kalashnikovs. There would be fifteen adults; Jade had included Franzisca and Gennic in the summons, and Taryn and Angelica were there too.

"Be just like devil's canyon back home" said Angelica.

"Well at least you have extensive combat experience to back Wulf and me" said Jade "And at least now I've shown the film the team know a few more quotes to keep the mood alive; this is going to be a bit tougher than the defence of the ministry building, people; that was a cinch, largely because it was a trap we brought them into. We don't know quite what direction our foes are coming from or precisely how many there are; Berthold had rather hazy edges to his dream. I'm guessing he had the leaders and main attack force; but we may be up against as many as fifty. A fey exclusion line holds dementors but does NOT prevent their depressing effect; I was going to put Gauda and Ktell, and Kole on dealing with dementors from behind our lines; at least to keep them back with patronuses. Most of our adversaries will have been to Durmstrang I imagine, and will consider themselves upright citizens who are dealing with a menace. I'm going to have Magda – who's the gentle one – in the owl loft to release an owl the moment the upright citizens loose their first salvo of spells. I'm wondering if they've had us under observation and are aware of the ECC run and plan to attack that. I don't see why we shouldn't work on that principle to try to draw them into ground that gives us an advantage. If we set off up the hill we shall have the advantage of height and a degree of folded ground to fire from; and I'll need some proof of being attacked; Biirta, Gunnar and Shizue can take turns with omnioculars to record what goes on. Rodica, you brief them on that; Traudl, brief Gauda, Ktell and Kole on using their patronuses – you DID get them using patronuses?

"Yes; Kole is shaky but Gauda has a wonderfully coalescent wolf and Ktell isn't far behind" said Traudl.

"Good. Wulf will write a letter of complaint and brief Magda. Somehow I doubt we'll need a job for Lazek; strikes me HE won't volunteer. Go and get dressed; breakfast as soon as you're in the great hall, don't waste time on extensive ablutions" said Jade.

The staff apparated back to their own rooms to prepare; and met with the marauders and scared half sceptical Upper Fourth youngsters as elves served breakfast.

"I'll brief you with an overview as you eat" said Jade "So everyone knows what is happening. We are relying on a prophetic dream; I believe it is a true prophecy and as our prophet is not very experienced and as the state of the moon suggests this morning I'm ready to go with that. If I'm wrong we may look a bit silly; and I don't know about the rest of you, but I'd rather look a bit silly than look a lot dead. If it's inaccurate in time we shall look upon this as a drill and I'll get a top flight diviner in to clarify stuff. Meantime, assume we are expecting an attack from goblin haters; and accept the orders you will each be given after breakfast. Everyone has a task. Now eat heartily; it's going to be a busy morning I'm afraid; and time to put the skills you've been learning into practice for real. You have half an hour to eat; and I'm going to shut up shortly and dig in because action always makes me hungry. If you're too scared, start on goat's milk and try to eat porridge. It will settle those nerves and help you eat more. If you REALLY can't eat, stuff some cheese or honey on a roll and wrap it up to put in your pocket for when you are. If you want to go and throw up, please use an appropriate receptacle. There's no shame in fear; this is a practise in learning how to deal with it."

"Are you afraid ma'am?" asked Gauda.

"No Gauda; because I've a fair idea of what we're up against and know that the staff are more than up for dealing with it; and too that we have a defence in place that will defeat one of the particular weapons the enemy hope to use" said Jade. "And besides, I HAVE been involved in fighting dark wizards since my sister and I were illicitly throwing pans at deatheaters out of the castle window when we were no more than nine and eight years old. It's more the 'oh no, not again' reaction. But I have been scared many times; enough to know that fear is the little death of reason and that giving in to it is worse than the thing you fear. And that's why I'm one of the people who don't have a boggart; all I've seen since before I started school is a wee black mannikin. But I accept that fear is very real for those who have NOT learned to overcome it; and true bravery is carrying on despite the fear."

"Why are the kids along?" asked Gunnar.

"Because they chose to be marauders; and marauders defend, if necessary with their lives" said Jade. "It's part of being a marauder; and as one of the marauders is our seer, I doubt I could keep them out if I tried anyway so I'd rather have them firmly under my command. They're going to be the live bait; and we of the staff are going to extend a screen to bounce even the killing curse around them so stiff that it's never going to penetrated by any twenty wizards combined in a ritual."

Ulvik opened his mouth then nodded; and hissed to his friends

"Bouncing it is a marauding secret!"

They nodded wide eyed and serious; and perhaps the grown ups would put up a screen anyway so they did not have to test for themselves that it really WOULD bounce. So at least more than one of them hoped!


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

After eating, Jade absently projected an illusion of a map of the castle and its surrounds.

"Here is the school, three quarters of the way up the eminence on which it was built" she said "Cliffs on one side to the east, the steep road down to the village on the south, the woods on the west and a further rise behind the castle to the north. The reason why the castle was not built right at the top of the hill is because of the friability of the rock there which is also riddled with caves. There is rumoured to be a secret passage from the caverns to the castle; I've never found it and I'm a fairly expert secret passage finder so it may be spurious. On the offchance there IS such a passage I've put Fritti on watch in the dungeons warned that too I have a little surprise for anyone trying to exit them; a small matter of an engulfing charm that will drop them into the ready made oubliette that we appear to have. And as it overhangs the cliff somehow I doubt there's any secret way out of there save the mechanism to swing the whole floor away to drop any unfortunates thus incarcerated to their deaths below; lovely people the Von Strangs of old. We must be aware that if any of our assailants were friendly with the previous incumbent here they might just have hidden in the caves; but all the views Berthold saw were outside so I'm thinking that they haven't used them. Normally we go down hill towards the wood for our run, or sometimes towards the village; today we shall seem to run as usual, but we shall head upwards. There are several reasons for this; first the advantage of high ground – broken high ground at that, with rocks and lumps to shield us; second, it gives us an advantage of doing something slightly out of the ordinary; third, the tor is still within the fey exclusion line. The fiery demons that are to be used against us are fey; as surely as pogrebin or duende or Veeli are fey, and the line will hold them. It will also hold dementors; but because of their nature, those of you who have been told off to use your patronuses against them will do so concentrating on nothing else. You in the Upper Fourth are to stay OUT of trouble; you are NOT to mix it. The Marauders will join you after they have done their job as decoys and will defend you so you need not worry about anyone sneaking up on you; that is their secondary task after seeming to fall dead from, as we hope, the initial onslaught. Ulvik, here is an invisibility cloak; treat it with respect. You will collect each of your friends underneath it to sneak back up the hill to where the Upper Fourth will initially peel off. Taryn, you are untried in combat; as are you, Franzisca and you, Gennic; if you choose to watch and help defend the Fourth that's fair do's. Fran, I strongly suggest you DO stand back; you're not that long birthed."

"I'll fight" said Gennic "I'll fight any stinking filthy racist scum."

"Me too" said Franziska. "This is for our baby; and I doubt birthing ever stopped YOU"

"I'm a Snape; it says 'stubborn' on the package" said Jade.

"I don't know how to fight; I think I'd be more of a hindrance than a help" said Taryn "But I WILL take some ingredients to make a few potioneering surprises for anyone who tries to approach the older children" she suddenly put her hand to her mouth and gasped. "My Zhenga is a marauder… would she….?"

"Any one of us who have been marauders would, and frequently do" said Jade "And the only marauder to die as yet was James Potter, one of the first marauders. We take every good care that we can of them; if the little blighters will only co-operate."

"We'll obey Slink" said Ulvik seriously, sealing the seriousness by using Jade's rarely used Marauder name.

Jade nodded. She knew they would abide by that.

She knew equally well that if some situation arose that had not been planned for that they had not been given any orders on, they would dive headfirst into trouble.

She and the other Prowling Marauders would have done. So she sent a joyous blood pulse to Lynx, Senagra and Fabian just because it was nice to have their thoughts of support in a mildly risky endeavour! They pulsed her warmly back; being in England and two time zones ahead they were well awake.

They were set.

oOoOo

At the usual time a group of young people issued from the castle to run. None of the teachers save Ihor and Wulf were so far past their own schooldays that they could not manage to look more youthful in their body language, a little cheerful jostling – not too hard because Kalashnikovs had to be concealed – and set off up the hill. The First Eagle Marauders, hearts hammering, took the lead; and Jade, tiny as any one of them, ran amongst them, maintaining a chant even running up that precipitate slope, weaving a subtle screen against any spell, hardening a travelling mole of air molecules to diffuse the killing curse; and Ulvik was unbelievably proud of her that she was that fit that she COULD chant with seeming effortless ease on so gruelling a run; and manage to grin at him too as she felt his surge of love and pride for her. With her girlish enthusiasm for the venture no observer would take her for anything but another eleven year old; they would never suspect a thing. And too it was comforting for all of them to have her there; to know that she COULD protect them.

The group of wizards burst out of the trees in the forest, running to cut off the running group and prevent them from returning; and the wash of green spread through the diffusion grid and slight headaches indicated that the number of killing curses being thrown were quite enough to reduce its efficacy a little. It held, however.

The children, as prearranged, dropped to the ground and Ulvik flicked the cloak over himself and Mava, who was closest. She gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"For luck" she whispered.

"Thanks Princess" he grinned. "Though I'm scarcely Luke Skywalker."

"You're too short to be a stormtrooper" said Mava "Ria's just there; lets bag her next."

Gradually all the marauders were under the wonderfully enlarging invisibility cloak, watching what was going on through its cobwebby seeming opacity. The older ones had retreated up the hill by a sideways path a little before the attack and Biirta, Shizue and Gunnar were religiously filming using omnioculars.

The adults had taken positions that were largely out of sight of the recording fourth years; no Kalashnikovs on recording media then, thought Ulvik; cunning. The attacking wizards were frantically throwing fruitless killing curses – the echoes of the headaches touched the children lightly – and were falling to carefully aimed high velocity rifle fire. Mostly that of Jade and Wulf since the others were less well practised; though Jade and Wulf HAD put them through a course before starting the school against just such an eventuality. And the other sharp shooter, Ulrich Grindler, was in charge of the defence of the school itself if it should come to that, behind a rocket launcher and an MG3, just in case. And, as Ulrich had said, apprised of the plan, a better sort of thing to have at a drawbridge than old fashioned murder holes.

Jade had suggested grenades to use at the murder holes too just in case!

oOoOo

"That's the guy in gaudy robes" Berthold pointed out the fantastically robed wizard, with a huge purple and gold turban like headdress with, as Ria giggled, a flowerpot sticking out of the middle of it; and it certainly did look like it. He wore baggy red trousers in some billowing fabric and a robe past his knees in red, gold, black and purple brocade, a red sash about his middle, or where his middle would be if he had not had sufficient paunch to make that less obvious. He had apparently previously prepared a portion of land with symbols marked on the grass, pared in a three yard square patch to scarcely more than earth; and as he spoke a word from the middle of that area the symbols flared up and were writing in fire upon the ground.

"I'm not sure if that's really impressive or just too posy to be true" said Ebert.

"With a fat man in silly clothes it's too posy and silly to be true" said Ulvik "If it was Lucius Malfoy in midnight black robes in that circle, or Severus Snape it would be well impressive."

"Yeah, but Ulvik man, either one of them is impressive enough without the gizmos" said Lurtz.

"Something's happening" said Klemens.

Something was happening; figures of flame leaped into being in mid air; four of them, and the wizards, some of them wounded, withdrew.

The children also withdrew rapidly now; soon the attackers might use dementors too and then the seniors would have their hands full. They took the cloak off after a call to make themselves known and watched vigilantly.

The efreeti hurled themselves up the hill and bounced.

They hurled spells at the barrier; but it was no ordinary ward but a chanted one and their tearing spells were in vain.

Jade reached within for the language that predated Celtic that was known to Seagh; and as he was one of her closest brothers she found it easily, and hurled a few choice insults. The Efreeti were frantic. The gaudy spirit-master was frantic; and sweating. Jade added a few more words, and a peculiar gesture with one hand that had one of the efreeti twisting and screaming. Mortimer, Ihor and Traudl were chanting; and Jade was absently adding a complex counterpoint by dancing.

And there was a cloud forming; a small and localised cloud; and then it was raining on the fire writing.

The demonologist howled in sudden fear, countering the effect with water-burning flames; but it was too late. A portion of his protective circle had hissed into inert black charred grass; and the efreeti turned as one and yanked the screaming wizard from his protection and flew inexorably in four different directions.

A lightning bolt from Jade's wand obliterated them and their summoner all together.

"Couldn't let the kids see that to its conclusion" Ulvik heard her say.

"I shouldn't much like to see it to its conclusion myself" said Traudl. "What now?"

"We call on them to surrender or die" said Jade. "Trying to hold four? Sheer madness! Wulf?"

Wulf used the sonorous spell to put the command.

"Surrender and be handed over for trial for attacking children; or die like scum" he said coldly.

The wizards regrouped; and charged. Some of them summoned dementors; and with a gasp of horror at the reality of what they were to defend against the three who were best at DADA threw up their patronuses. The dementors, summoned within the fey exclusion zone wavered where they had been coming on. Jade signalled to Traudl to help the children; and Traudl's own filmy white wolf patronus leaped out snarling; and then Traudl was concentrating on destroying them one by one with the lightning spell.

Jade was absently turning one wizard into stone for every three that she shot; prisoners might be useful. The rest of the staff resorted to spells; they had been well versed, most of them, in offensive magic in Durmstrang. And zig zag scars briefly flared, healed and started to fade as the oncoming wizards tried their own best spells. And running up hill, most were too blown to even pronounce incantations. It was, as Jade said, a bit of a turkey shoot.

And just as it was over, the black carriage of Vehmgerichten came in view; and Jade was passing the Kalashnikovs to Ulvik to place out of sight under the invisibility cloak; while she and Wulf cast _accio_ bullets and cartridge cases to vanish via _evanesco_. There was nothing illegal about using firearms to defend oneself; indeed the staff had several goblin made arquebuses in full view. But it was still something of a secret exactly WHAT the capabilities of the muggle weapons were.

oOoOo

"Herr Professor Luytens; I am Vehmgericht Hauptmann Horst Doppler. I received your owl that you were under attack. Donner und Blitzen, by so MANY?" he looked at the corpses and statues.

"Rather iniquitous, wouldn't you say?" said Wulf. "There had been seen some suspicious types lurking in the forest; we had heard rumours that an attack would occur because there were those too afraid that goblin and low-blood children would prove adequate to permit the experiment to continue to its proof. Hence we sallied out with volunteers – the oldest children and my son and his friends – well prepared to expect an attack and the children surrounded by the English diffusion spell in case of the killing curse. The oldest girls have been using omnioculars to record the sequence of events; I believe they have numbered the devices accordingly. You will find that after attempting to raise demons against us we called on them to surrender or die; they preferred to die. Or, as my wife's whimsy preferred, become statuary. We have mandragora should you wish to question any."

"This I may do" said the Hauptmann clicking his heels. "Your son and his friends appear to be behaving with perfect fortitude; amazing in children so young; and some goblins and half breeds too! Which one is he? I would shake the hand of a boy capable of leading his fellows thus; he will be a fit Vehmgericht when he is older!"

"Ulvik!" Wulf called.

"Dad?" Ulvik ran up "I mean" he bowed "Yes, Herr Professor?"

"Hauptmann Horst Doppler would like to shake your hand for leading your friends so well" said Wulf.

Ulvik grinned and advanced a hand and said,

"It wasn't so much leading them sir, as all of us choosing to come along. We wouldn't be left out of fighting dark wizards for anything!"

Doppler was visibly shocked that Ulvik was a goblin; but he shook his hand firmly enough.

"You and your friends are extraordinary" he said "And I doubt it will be the first time anyone tries to kill you."

"No sir; but the only time I need worry about is when it's the last" said Ulvik "And then any of us who does die becomes a symbol so it won't be in vain. You see sir, now we've been all mixed together for half a year we don't even NOTICE what race any one of us is any more; because it's more important what people are like; and too what advantage any of us might gain in the friendly rivalry for class position."

"And what is your position?" asked Doppler.

"I float around the top five sir; I'm not as brilliant in individual subjects as some of my fellows but I'm all round fairly adequate" said Ulvik. "I'm not a high flyer; I doubt I'll end up with more than five or six ZH's but we can't all be top flight academics. It'll be enough to teach; unless the Vehmgerichten are taking goblins by then in which case I'll be considering that. And of course it's worth while staying an extra year for an extra couple of ZH's because I shan't be overage for the Triwizard after next" he added.

Doppler was staring.

"I thought I knew all sorts of goblins; but if you are in any way typical of those who are to be turned out of this school I may say that we will not have to worry either about goblins misusing such education or goblin uprising; you sound like an ambitious and clever human lad!"

"Sir, the only difference between goblins and humans apart from appearance, is a general resentment over being kept down. If we are not kept down, there is no need for resentment. And as you say, there will be no more need to worry about any goblins misusing education than there is of humans; because there are rotten apples in any race. You see the worst of both; and poverty breeds callousness and disregard for life of others. So too does greed; and neither humans nor goblins are immune to that."

"Well young man, you present a reasoned argument; and my perspective sees mostly the callousness bred by greed, since it is the Politzei Allgemein who see most of the poverty. Why do YOU think that these people attacked the school?"

"Because they were afraid that those of us without pure blood backgrounds might show to be as good as them, thus not giving them a valid reason to despise, put down, and use as they will any goblin, mugglborn or low-blood they encounter" said Ulvik "It is sad that they are such small minded and little people that they feel a need to oppress in order to feel adequate; but it is the same too in any poverty stricken street, where those with a little more authority – the crime bosses, or those who are foremen for example – find ways to humiliate others, especially those who have a spark of intellect that might challenge their superiority. People are people; and people with a LITTLE power often find that it goes to their heads."

"Hmmph" said Doppler "I shan't say you're not right at that. Would you and your friends care to assist with er, _mobiloimago_ to shift these er statues?"

"Certainly sir" said Ulvik, beckoning his friends over "I'd think you'd want to add a weight reducing spell on them for the sake of your horses; but I'm afraid I don't know how to do that."

"The potion's easy enough but I don't think they could drink it" said Ebert cheerfully.

"Oh I shall turn each back in turn with your father's mandragora and bind him" said Doppler grimly. "I'll send a meat wagon for the corpses."

"We've got a nice big compost heap if it's too much effort" said Jade cheerfully, coming over.

"Thank you ma'am; but we need to identify them" said Doppler. The English were ruthless!

oOoOo

Franziska meanwhile had come face to face with one of the statues and gasped.

"Herr Hauptmann, I can identify one of the statues if you like" she said.

"Fraulein?" he bowed.

"Frau" said Franziska "This one is Gustav Schiff; my father."

"Donner und Blitzen! What a terrible shock for you Gnadige frau!" exclaimed Doppler "He cannot have known you were associated with the school surely?"

"If he did he'd have attacked more happily" said Franziska. "It means that as well as an attack on the school it was probably also aimed directly at Frau Baronin Von Strang und Luytens; because she forced him to pay maintenance on one of my half sisters conceived from his raping of a maid. I forced him to pay maintenance on the other two I discovered" she added "So maybe he wanted me dead too; and my husband and our child. And, since the Frau Baronin gives succour to two of my half sisters and the third in the holidays and their mothers perhaps he hoped them dead too. You might wish to bear it in mind when you question him" she said.

"I shall; he sounds an appalling man" said Doppler.

"And I fear only too common amongst those at the fringes of society" said Franziska. "Taking what he wants and not caring about what that does to those too powerless to oppose him. That was why I ran away to marry an honest man not one of my own class; and why my father wants us both dead. My husband is a goblin; and unlike all those humans I know – present company excepted which is why they're friends of mine – he's no hypocrite. And unlike my father, who beats any woman he sleeps with, including my mother, I am married to a gentle and caring man."

"Well, I've seen some unhappy homes" said Doppler "And perhaps it IS time that it is spoken about rather than being not quite nice to mention. Well I shall revive him first and see how much he squeals when he finds I know something about him" he added in satisfaction.

He loaded up the statues, restored, bound and stunned them with a ruthless efficiency that even Jade was impressed by; and took them away.

oOoOo

The staff were busy cuddling those youngsters who had found it all too much; which was Ria, Shizue and Gauda. Mava scorned to cry; but she did cling tight to Ulvik's hand.

Gunnar, Berthold and Klemens had been quietly sick; and Wulf had handed them each a bottle of water to rinse their mouths.

Most of the children had seen death before; and as Ulvik said, only the enemy were dead so there was nothing to get excited about.

oOoOo

They were back in the castle by the time the rest of the school was rising; Ulrich having diverted the other members of the ECC to defend the school if need be; and there were diverse questions.

Wulf waved the school to sit at breakfast and remained standing.

"At dawn there was an attack on the school by egregious racists; the Vehmgerichten are dealing with the survivors. The Upper Fourth volunteers helped repel the attack; Mr gan Szek, I understand that of the Upper Fourth you were not awakened; I presume you were a deep enough sleeper that the messengers I sent were loath to be too violent."

"No it's because he's an idiot" whispered Ulvik to Mava. "And he's not staying on after ZAP anyway."

Kazek gan Szek was trying to work out if he was insulted at being left behind or relieved!

Wulf went on,

"The marauders were also helpful; and performed a number of errands. The staff fought off the attack very successfully and I doubt we shall have to worry about any similar attacks at least on the same scale. My thanks to those of you who manned posts under Professor Grindler in case we had to withdraw or in case of a second force; we considered it possible that the attack was diversionary. Your presence was essential in that it freed the rest of the staff to fight without worrying about the safety of the school itself. Well done to everyone; and I am going to declare today a holiday because if those children who were up unusually early do not need to sleep it off, the staff certainly do; some of us are too old to burn the candle at both ends!"

It was a sufficient explanation for most; and the idea of an unexpected holiday was always welcome! The school gave three cheers, and if that was for defeating an unknown enemy or for the holiday, most of those cheering would have been hard put to tell.

The marauders were sent firmly back to bed for two hours; and though token grumbles were made, they were all fast asleep when Wulf and Jade looked in on them!

"How young they seem!" sighed Jade.

"They ARE young" said Wulf.

"Yes; but when I got up to school I was convinced I was almost grown up" said Jade. "Less upset than with some; I hope none are bottling it up."

"I suppose" said Wulf "In some ways they are not so young; I wager most of them could see thestrals. And they are used to the cold hard realities of living in poverty stricken communities."

"True enough" said Jade "And they understand fully enough that if they are not prepared to fight, people like that will kill them; and they know it as a reality and no abstract. Poor little sprouts! We must give all our kids as happy a schooling as we can."

"We will" said Wulf, kissing her, and reflecting that probably none of the poor little sprouts sleeping off the morning's alarums had seen as much misery and abuse in their early years as Jade and her sister Lydia had before Severus and Krait had taken them on; that the idea of the fear of Voldemort and fighting his minions was comparative bliss.

But that was Jade for you.

oOoOo

It should not be supposed that the incident weighed heavily on the minds of the marauders for long; either the reality of being under sentence of death in the minds of some for daring to want education nor having been involved in a battle. True Ria and Mava had gone to sleep in each other's arms, a level of soppiness either would normally have scorned; and the more tenderly reared human boys had been deeply shocked. But they pulsed each other when they awoke and met up outside in the shrubbery and discussed matters; and put it firmly behind them. They had done their duty; it was their business as marauders to accept unpleasant tasks so others did not have to. And most of them had seen death, and violent death at that; the exceptions being Klemens and Ria. Even Berthold had seen street duels and violent demonstrations, usually by goblins, and violent arrests in the wizarding streets of Berlin. Mava had seen less violence than most in the relatively secluded Gerbereistrasse, the tannery street; but she had seen goblins pursued and killed by rowdy wizarding youths; and had herself had stones thrown at her for being her mother's daughter. For Ulvik and Ebert avoiding the violence and avoiding being caught in cross-spells was a part of life; for Lurtz, a harsh lifestyle with a high mortality taught one to move on rapidly. And the love of the blood bond helped Ria and Klemens to deal with it; and though it would be inaccurate to say that they had forgotten it by the afternoon, they had certainly chalked the business up to experience and moved on.

oOoOo

Of the big ones, Magda had not been in a place to see the fighting; deliberately put in charge of getting the owl sent. Biirta and Gauda were orphans; they had seen death. So too had Magda; but there was a gentleness about Magda. Ktell and Kole were in the same situation as Ulvik and Ebert of course. Gunnar came from a poverty stricken background but though he had heard stories of the old baron hunting people for fun it was only tales of the old days for him; and Shizue came from a well off middle class background and was profoundly shocked.

She was even more profoundly shocked when Franziska gently explained that the attackers were also upper middle class on the whole; and that those were the types of Japanese attackers she might have to deal with when teaching beside Takeo. And indeed to find out that being muggleborn daring to use her powers was as heinous a crime to some as being a goblin wanting education; and Franziska, who had heard it from Jade, told her how in England, in the Voldemort years, muggleborn witches and wizards were tried for 'stealing their powers' from other wizards. Shizue had however no intention of giving up this exciting world of magic where she was learning to control her powers; and was ready to put up her little chin and fight for justice under the direction of her Sensei.

Gunnar knew that his mixed community of low bloods and goblins had been moulded together in the adversity of oppressive overlords; and he had no intention of letting other oppressive overlords take their place, thank you very much; so with a countryman's stubborn tenacity he shrugged and prepared to dig in and fight wherever and whenever was necessary.

And hearing them discuss it, Lazek was glad he had NOT been a part of it; he was no crusader. Lazek was out for the ultimate comfort of Lazek – and for his family. He would fight to protect his siblings; that he knew. But why have all that fear and discomfort when the staff were equal to dealing with it?

oOoOo

The next day was a school day like any other and the children were kept hard at work; they had had a day to come to terms with things, with the staff available if anyone wanted to talk about anything; but then it was best to keep their noses to the grindstone.

And perhaps for the first time Manfred did not feel a kind of seething envy for Ulvik being the son of the Heads; not if he was expected to get involved in stuff that scary. Which, since Manfred was also grateful to Ulvik for prompting him when his mind had gone briefly blank at the visit of the governors, expressed itself in Manfred being more civil and extending helpful suggestions over potioneering to Ulvik.

And the rest of the term went fairly swimmingly unless one counted the small trouble Cnebbic and Vinz of the second got into when wandering about the forest during their leisure period one fine early evening and managed to wander into a clearing and almost walked into a big centaur who was holding some kind of meeting with several others of his kind.

"Bollocks!" said Cnebbic.

"Yeah man; you just nearly nutted some" said Vinz "And if I was you running is probably the best option."

They ran; and were fortunate that Biirta was also out for a stroll and remembered the spell _incarceratus_ that the Vehmgericht Hauptmann had used to bind the erstwhile statues; and the centaur was at least temporarily tangled up, because Biirta had aimed at his legs not the arms with the bow. Tripping over her bonds, the bow loosed its arrow harmlessly into the ground and Biirta joined the boys in running before the irritated centaur got clear and pursued them again. They all ran headlong into Jade; who had no great liking for centaurs, considering them snotty.

oOoOo

The five centaurs thundered out of the forest; and at the word 'Stop' from the tiny and insignificant looking human they found that indeed they were stopped; not by any barrier, nor yet by direct mind control, but by the feeling that they were buried up to the haunches in mud.

"We have been insulted by two goblin brats! We want our revenge!" howled the leader.

"Excuse me? You are trespassing on my lands and you complain of insult?" said Jade "And oh by the way, how CAN beasts be insulted by beings? You centaurs chose to be beasts; you should be grateful that I do not exercise my rights on my grounds and look on you as a nice big lump of meat for the menu. However, I shall NOT hunt you for meat; the eating of horseflesh is low and only the sort of thing the French do. YOU however have NO rights; and therefore you do NOT make demands of me. Just remember if you harm ANY of the children here, since they are beings and you are beasts, I am within my rights to hunt down and put down any dangerous beasts. I will not impede your progress through my forests; I will not even drive you off my lands. But I WILL have respect from you and an undertaking that you will NOT interfere with the children here."

"They interrupted us! Jostled and bumped me!" declared the spokesman.

"Well as they have more right to the forest than you do, they can interrupt you all they like – even if they do it on purpose" said Jade sweetly "And as I understand it they merely walked into you by accident and then fled because you looked so scary YOU are at fault for taking offence at an accidental bump by a child. You are a disgrace to sentience; if you won't be beings you might at least try to act as though you had brains inside your head; and if you don't want to bother to use those brains and behave in a more reasonable way than a troll with a thorn in his foot then don't even bother talking and I'll treat you like the wild cows and deer because you'll evidently deserve it."

"You can't talk to us like that!" spluttered the centaur.

"I thought I just did" said Jade "I'm SICK of intolerant people; I helped kill Voldemort, I personally killed Gerhardt Grindelwald and we've just been killing racist bastards who tried to invade; and now I have it from you ruddy centaurs who think you're so special that you don't bother to join other beings to try for justice, peace and equality for all beings. And if I get any ruddy intolerance from you types then I'll turn you into something less offensive."

"Hah! Impossible!" snapped the leader. "AWKooohoo!" he added as he suddenly became an owl.

"Yah really wanna bet?" said Jade, who had not even twitched a hand. "I'm English me; I cast wordless and wandless and I have no difficulties with sentient transfiguration; AS you know because you have your mind intact so you can appreciate the supreme indignity of having a cloaca instead of the usual mammalian paraphernalia. I could make you a female troll if you preferred or a sheep or as you get the hump so easily a camel" she proceeded to make all three changes before putting the centaur back into his own shape. "If you want to be civil and open talks about what rights you may wish to negotiate I'll hold myself ready to listen; otherwise fuck off and don't sod my kids about again."

They were suddenly free to move; and Jade turned her back and walked away.

One of them reached for his bow.

It turned into a snake.

He cried out and dropped it; and with horrified exchanged glances the centaurs turned and walked back into the forest.

Cnebbic and Vinz cheered.

"DO look where you're going in the forest" said Jade "Otherwise they might get a little colicky; and it's bad for horses. And they have a man's gut too so all the more to have ulcers in; crumbs, no wonder they're ill tempered beasts, all that length of guts to have trouble in."

The boys giggled a little hysterically over that explanation for the bad temper of centaurs.

"ARE they beasts?" asked Biirta.

"But yes; they refused to have anything to do with a council that considered Hags and Vampires beings; having refused previously to have anything to do with a council that had not called merfolk beings because they can only speak Mermish on dry land. They're just plumb awkward I guess" said Jade "And no we're NOT allowed to eat them – not that I would, all that bad temper HAS to be bad for the meat as well as my moral scruples over eating sentients; but they can't have it both ways, opt out and still try to throw their weight around because they're big and strong. I cursed all their bows that if they draw bow on a sentient the strings will break."

"Without even SPEAKING? Frau Von Luytens you are wonderful!" said Biirta. Jade grinned.

"Oh I'm even more plumb awkward than they are and if they want to find that out the hard way, let 'em" she said "It wasn't a complex one; and I used the pattern of my walking to make it a chant to make it easier. Which is a matter of experience" she added. "If you're truly interested you'll get there; at least half the chanting I do is through techniques I've made up on the spur of the moment. And you have the drive to do anything you want" she added.

Biirta gasped and flushed; that was such a compliment! She would do WELL in her exams and show the Frau Professor that she had not been wrong in her!


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

The eight who were taking exams were of course to stay over the holiday, normally resident or no; but Jade insisted that they take a full four days' holiday first.

Biirta wanted to spend some time with her brother and sister; and Jade suggested that the orphans who had older siblings might come up to the school for a treat, including those siblings of the orphans not taking exams.

It was a treat too for the orphans in the school; not to have to be returned to the orphanage, much improved as it was, since there had been some unpleasantness from those who had not been chosen for schooling calling the scholars 'posh' and 'stuck up'; the more perhaps because Jade insisted on correct speech, pointing out with some justification that qualifications or no, many an employer was going to judge on how educated the speech sounded. As too courtesy to all other students was a rule, nice manners and respect, the rougher elements of the orphanage were ready to find this risible.

Helga and Stoyan were working on instilling an atmosphere of respect and courtesy, aided by Franziska and Gennic, Klevda and now Avra; but overcoming racist comments and fights was still the main order of the day. The incident of an older, rather violent girl, insisting on the residents of the two dolls' houses going to war had caused a lot of damage to the toys and had necessitated the use _reparo_ rather extensively; and Helga had made the violent girl do her best to repair by hand, explaining coldly that a group of children no older than her and representing goblins, humans and mixed races had made the toys specifically to give pleasure to other children and if she thought she was going to get away without finding the value of time put into things she could think again.

And when the girl refused point blank to help with the repairs, Helga took the dress the girl had been labouring on for herself, learning to use a sewing machine, and cut it into shreds before her eyes telling her that NOW perhaps she understood the value of damaging the work of others.

The girl had cried bitterly; and Helga had been able to break through the hard shell at last.

Helga had worked hard to teach her the repairing charm to work on the broken dolls' houses and too on her own dress; and discovered that the girl had been orphaned in a human-goblin battle. Helga was not the cleverest; but she was shrewd. And she tracked down a couple of goblin children orphaned by the same incident; and told them and the human girl firmly that since their adult family members had been stupid enough to fight for no good reason and irresponsibly leave their children then the said children were now siblings and had responsibility to each other.

The incident of the war had been disgraceful; and all the children had seen horrors no child should see, and Helga had each of them put their memories in a Pensieve she borrowed from Jade to view each other's viewpoint; and so the human girl and the older goblin boy could see that each had reason to hate the terrible things both sides did. He had not joined in because his mother had told him to care for his little sister – one of those forced into the dolls' house fight – and he had done that, seeing his mother and sisters raped; even as the human child had seen her sister and mother raped as she hid in a cupboard. Helga told them firmly that it had probably been started by a wicked person of one race or another since she had heard of such people of both races; and had then been continued by particularly stupid grown ups who had dragged in the older children who almost had to obey their parents; and it was a case of nasty stupidity on the part of all and if she bust a gut doing it she would see that they and the other children in the orphanage grew up to be more civilised than these pests.

As they had always been castigated as 'unfit to be in civilised society' by the previous director this was a revelation.

Hence things WERE improving; but there was still some not unnatural resentment of the scholars and staying at the school with any siblings they had to visit would be a relief. And the orphanage staff must watch to see whether the siblings were bullied on return; in which case they must be accommodated separately in the school building with Franziska's sisters and Wulf and Jade's children.

Ulvik and Mava and Ebert promised to look after Biirta's siblings while she was studying over the holidays; Petrus Hess would be starting school in September and it would do him no harm to know a few older ones, and Marauders at that. Little Heloise was only five and the older ones were quite tolerant of having her tag along asking endless questions; she was, Ulvik had to admit, at a more interesting age than Roderick, Ralph and Lily and more capable with a bit of encouragement. Ulvik laughingly promised that she should be his fag when she started school as he'd be in the upper sixth! Petrus was a little wary of being in the charge of goblin and part goblin children; but found them better spoken than he was used to. The Hess children had been middle class, with a good lifestyle; until their mother died of a wasting disease after failing to recover from the birth of Heloise; and their father, who also lost his job for taking time off to look after his children finally cast the killing curse at himself in a mirror, leaving his children destitute and twelve-year-old Biirta in charge of them. Birrta, being law abiding, had reported the situation to the authorities and found, as there were no easily traceable relatives, that they were hied off to the hell hole of the orphanage. She was determined to do all she could to make the last four years up to her siblings; and was grateful that she had received some basic teaching in spell casting from the neighbour who taught such for a small fee before being orphaned. It had left her with a rather cynical outlook and a mistrust of authority.

oOoOo

The study in the Easter break was much relaxed in time; as Jade said, brains DID need as much rest as bodies. It was as much to keep the habit of study as anything else; though it did give the opportunity too to continue adding new information for as good a grade as possible. There would be little enough time for revision; the students must just hope that they had learned as they went along. The last week or two before the exam would be viva voce testing to stimulate memories and check that the class HAD learned as they went along. And Jade was at least able to assure those taking DADA to ZP, the ability to produce a corporeal patronus, as they had ALL managed in the heat of the moment against dementors, would almost guarantee them a pass so long as they did not try to claim in the written exam that Katti Krächzen was a dark creature whatever her vibrato sounded like.

oOoOo

It was surprising, reflected Biirta, how much they could get through studying two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon with the weekends strictly leisure bar an hour's prep on Saturday morning. And she asked for extra work on transfigurations which was her bugbear; she really had a great deal of difficulty understanding how to do cross species switches or how to find any way to relate the switch from animate to inanimate. Jade decided to go with the fact that Biirta was actually extremely intelligent, even though she was not the top of the class in performance; and explained the principle of Assimilative Correlation, and how it could too be applied to such things as travel; and that there were arithmantic principles to use through numerology to connect objects using it. Biirta was fascinated; and asked if one could look on a switch as having assimilative correlation by numerology if you picked two objects with the same value.

"Don't see why not" said Jade "Never occurred to me; being a natural transfigurationist I never needed it. But give it a go; I see no reason it shouldn't work." She pondered. "Tortoise, Schildkröte, means literally Shield-toad; which is why we do a cross species switch of tortoise to toad that I needed to suggest to Professor Bane; he still thinks in English you see, which I think is NOT helpful to your assimilative correlation even though he's very good and has been very resourceful in adapting to teaching in a foreign language. He went to Hogwarts you see; those of us who went to Prince Peak are essentially trilingual; and I picked up a few other languages on the side that helped no end in Durmstrang. There are a number of words for a box; let's reduce Schildkröte first" she scribbled furiously "That's fifty two reducing to seven; a powerful number. The two halves are twenty eight reducing to one and twenty four reducing to six; there's an arithmantic relationship there from tortoise to toad, reducing from seven to six as well as reducing the length of word. Büchse, the obvious word comes down to four; its male variant Buchsbaum is nine, so no help changing the gender of your tortoise, which is female by definition. The other three words I came up with may have subtly different meanings but if it helps your numerology, go for it! Schachtel is thirty four reducing to seven; kiste is nineteen reducing to one; and vershlag, which is a bit of a dubious word as it's more a compartment than a box is thirty eight, going via eleven to two. Schachtel looks like the word to use; and perhaps easier in that it begins with the same sound as Schildkröte. The easiest thing to do is to have a box of schildpatt, tortoiseshell; or so most people find. Let me see, numerologically it's four; a closer tie to the word büchse, so whether that helps or not I don't know. Other people find correlation from Büchse to Buche, beech, for the material of the box; or from Kiste using Kirsche, cherry to suggest cherrywood. Is that any help?"

"I think it may be" said Biirta "May I have a tortoise to practise with? And please, what is likely to be any other subject in the practical if they do not use a tortoise? Because it's the time factor in working out the numerology."

"I'm not too sure; in England it is a death-watch beetle to a watch; or sometimes a mouse to a snuff box. Somehow I doubt a rat, ratte, would need to be made into a rathaus; a council building is a little large for most transfigurational purposes. I can see Kaninchen, rabbit, to kanne, a tankard; or as a cross-species switch to a kanarianvogel, a canary bird. I don't know how they're planning to organise the practical of the ZAP; whether to give you the full range of tests of a ZP to give you every opportunity to complete them or not. I would; but I haven't devised the exams. Generally I expect they'll just use a selection of fourth year exam papers and set tests. You should be able to do cross species switches by the fourth year; hummel, bumble bee to hummer, a lobster is another that crosses the mind; also the switches that are by similarity like polecat, ferret and weasel perhaps; no name similarity there, Iltis, frettchen and wiesel, but as they're related you're not supposed to need it. Wiesel to wiege, a rocking cradle for an inanimate transfiguration might be one that's used. You did bumble bee to lobster, didn't you?"

"Yes; I couldn't get my head round it."

"That's where Finnish naming magic helps; saying out loud and picturing the thing you want in its simplest form. Some people find it easiest to blur both words together in their mind's eye too. Let's see with numerology; only one letter different; Hummel, eight four four four five three – divisible by four throughout, if you add the five and three for eight, interesting – twenty eight, reduces via ten to one. Hummer: eight four four four five NINE. Thirty four; reducing to seven. You might do better picking tortoise to lobster as they both have the same numerological score and both have armour of one sort or another. It's worth bluffing hard. I reckon they'll have a tortoise to turn first into a toad and then into a box. TELL them that you'll do the cross-species switch tortoise to lobster for numerological reasons and because both have armour – if it DOES work for you. The more information you give that you understand theory in what you do the higher you get graded. Let's get a tortoise; because once you can do it to a tortoise you can do it to other creatures because once you're over the hump of understanding why, you've got the technique."

"I shall never be able to do as you did and cycle any creature through so bizarre a set of changes as you did with the centaur – and you never even had to get your wand out!" said Biirta. Jade laughed.

"Oh that was assimilative correlation by irritability!" she said "No accepted category I assure you; but I just pictured what was silliest and would annoy him most. The owl was assimilative correlation by culture; we have a phrase, 'sitting there like a stuffed owl' and that was what I was more or less thinking of; it implies someone being stuffy. I don't always do things by correct theory; just throw power at a problem. Here, try out numerology on Slubalub here" and she passed Biirta a tortoise.

Biirta struggled; but she still could only manage an opening lid on the animal's shell. And she could make it into neither a toad nor a lobster.

"All right; give it an hour's trying; then I'll extricate the poor thing from whatever you manage" said Jade "And again tomorrow; and for an hour every day. As you study the tortoise you'll find perhaps details that you can relate to other forms; don't worry!"

Biirta nodded.

oOoOo

It took a few days, but Biirta was managing to get a toad with a shell. She could not get a lobster.

"I guess the numerology doesn't actually work for me" she said.

"It was worth trying" said Jade "How does it work with using Schachtel as a word rather than Büchse?"

"No difference; I feel rotten when you gave up time to help me work out all those numbers."

"Oh it's no trouble; I'd gladly go to the trouble a hundred times if the hundred and first helps someone over a hump!" said Jade. "And I'll hold it in reserve for other kids and talk it through with Professor Bane too. Well then, nothing to stop you breaking it into stages; go from tortoise to shield, an inanimate object which is the first major stage; a buckler say, like some of those hung on the wall in the great hall, not a big full size jobbie. Then, that's a wooden object so it should go more easily into a box. You won't get such high marks for visible inbetweening but if you succeed, that's more marks than not succeeding at all."

Biirta ended up with a rather surprised tortoise wearing a box instead of a shell; but it was an improvement. It would gain a few marks, and if her theory was up to scratch might be enough to scrape a pass, as Jade told her. Biirta was pleased. And she would continue to practice; and at Jade's suggestion to practice too with rabbits in transfiguration to both canaries and tankards.

Kole, working with Ritter Kesselring, was trying to crack his trouble with charms; which was, said Ritter, ridiculous as he could manage the charms that he needed in DADA.

"Look here" said Rodica Nistor "You can manage enchanted charms by using the ritual; you prepare for a duel almost with a ritual. Why don't you invent a ritual to go with standard charms? Make sure the spoken incantation and proper wand motions go to a rhythm, almost like chanting; make a poem of it."

"You're good at poetry Rod – Professor Nistor" said Ritter "Why don't we all work on it?"

Rodica actually started teaching Kole a little chanting; it was perhaps cheating a little, she said, but if it calmed him down there was no reason he should not use the technique with a standard incantation and added rhythm from fancy wand work.

The point was, Kole believed her; and as Rodica said to Ritter, belief was nine tenths of ability.

oOoOo

And so the staff collaborated to try to overcome weaknesses, play to strengths; it was an exercise in getting students to pass exams, no more and no less because they might actually start learning properly over the two years in which they would study to ZH with perhaps extra ZPs alongside. And all were electing to learn chanting; and Jade felt it a good idea. She would take them herself; because they needed more than the theory and a few basic chants and rhythms such as Helmut taught; but Helmut's grounding with the little ones meant that Jade was free to teach the more advanced students; and too give time to bring on the ZP students of next year faster!

And she was looking forward to possibly having as many as three ZH students in Arithmancy next year too; and having that notoriously hard exam represented would be one in the eye for detractors. True it might have been better had any of the goblins been capable of taking that one; but they were still, bar Lazek, planning on taking ZH exams.

oOoOo

Towards the end of the holiday there was to be an equestrian meet near Innsbruck. Jade had secured permission for Berthold to return to school early to take part; his parents had agreed like a shot. Berthold was nervous but excited.

"It's scary, isn't it?" said Rainer "But let's just enjoy the ride; Toffee won't let us down."

They met up with the exam classes of Prince Peak out for the day just because, and some of them to be competing; three siblings, all Herr Professor Snape's wards, as none of his other pupils had felt like competing, at least not this time; as a jolly looking girl called Sandalla said, the Ingate kids were good and deserved to show it.

Rainer explained carefully to the Prince Peak children that his friend Falk was not a poseur to ride so showy a pony as his Pegasan Sleipnir, it was because the animal had been acquired as a rescue of it.

Rainer and Falk went off together to make up a group with Penny and Lucasta Malfoy, also competing; and Berthold found that he was of an age with Paul Ingate, a pleasant faced lad with a permanent smile of genuine happiness. Paul carried a sketch book that he jotted in from time to time; he explained that he was one day entering the new exam of Art in Magic and was having lessons at school. Berthold accepted that; he had heard that Prince Peak was a specialist school and that Rainer would be going there for his music.

The biggest Ingate, George, taking his OWLs would be competing in the point-to-point against Magda; Lucy was in a middle category, and Paul and Berthold would compete against each other, with the little ones in the highest junior category. Children as young as five or six years old were competing; but Paul explained that many parents considered that pushing competitiveness too young spoiled the fun in the sport. Malfoys that young did not compete; Lucius liked his children to be in the nine to ten year old category though he did stretch the odd point for a keen eight year old.

The Malfoy spirit was determinedly competitive at any age however; as Falk had laughed and said to Rainer that with Malfoys in the running, nobody else need turn up. They rode for fun and to give the girls a run for their money; and Rainer was proud that his friend managed to split the Malfoy girls and creep into second place in the obstacle course! He slapped him heartily on the back and congratulated him with genuine joy in his friend's placement; and Falk's father came over and congratulated both his son and Rainer on true sportsmanship.

"You, lad are a gentleman as so few here truly are; to take pleasure in seeing others do well as well as in your own skill" he said. "To say, and mean it, may the best man win; I am extremely pleased my son has made such a friend; and I shall be delighted therefore to send him to Prince Peak to continue such a good friendship."

"Thank you sir; but Falk's such a good sort how can I be anything but pleased for him?" said Rainer.

Herr Von Kesselring slapped him on the shoulder affectionately. Definitely a better friend for Falk than some of the nasty types at Durmstrang!

oOoOo

When it was the turn of the eleven to twelve year old group, Berthold let his senses hint to him and listened to his instincts; and he just pipped Paul into third place. Paul might just be a better rider; but Berthold had the edge that time at least! There were loud protests from the French girl in fifth place; she had been the one whose tears he had made to fluoresce last time and she threw an extravagant and voluble tantrum, complaining that it was INSUPPORTABLE that the wretched boy should beat her again AND his horrid friend. Berthold pulled a face.

"Bad loser" he said "I'm a bit of a diviner; I KNOW things. You're a better rider than me but it should stay close with MY edge."

"Friendly rivalry over our school days then?" Paul asked. "I may not be a marauder but I do respect marauding; and I know what it means. Severus Snape is my guardian."

Berthold grinned.

"Friendly rivalry it is" he said. "It's good to let off steam; I ran away to school after Yule so I've had a lot of catching up to do; and thanks to my fellow marauders I have done and more. And I developed a skill with riding; and my parents are dead chuffed because though I have to rub shoulders with goblins I also rub shoulders with the rich and famous. Which might be pointed out includes Malfoy goblins. My parents are a bit limited."

"Parents can be" said Paul "I don't remember it, but my real father didn't want us to rub shoulders with wizarding types; my biggest brother ran away to school too, only for him it was kind of accidental. And Severus got wardship of us. I'm glad you're independent minded; we just had a girl expelled because she wrote nasty letters to the juniormost marauders, because most of them are goblins or part goblin. It was all very unpleasant and I gather she got it from her parents."

"Sometimes you have to accept that the old folk just live in a past that doesn't exist any more and move on without hurting them too much if you can manage that" said Berthold.

.

oOoOo

Once the younger ones had gone they impartially cheered on their elders; Lucy Ingate came fifth in her class, and was satisfied; and as two of the snottiest and most self assured riders were to be competing against both Magda and George, all the youngsters shouted happily for both; and the friendly rivalry drove both ahead, Magda on the Granian Hermes and George on his own Aethonian chestnut horse. Magda gave Hermes his head; he knew what he was doing after all, and she had only to stay on with as good a seat as possible for his comfort and leave the choice of route to him; which was predictably as always the riskiest. Magda stuck on – it was hard sometimes – and found that she was drawing ahead of George!

And then they had crossed the ribbon, she was a neck ahead of George, and she and her new friend were in first and second place!

Into third place was the girl on a showy pegasan pony, all white and gleaming who had spoken to Magda on the first meet she had been to; and she scowled at George.

"I suppose you're another of these nameless bastards and orphans from the free school" she hissed "DARING to beat me!"

George blinked.

"I say" he said in his best Draco manner "Do they actually permit vulgar types like you to compete in these races? I must ask my guardian to complain. I really DO wonder what gutter you dragged your manners out of. Fraulein Schmitt, permit me to take you away from this extraordinary female before your ears are further sullied."

Magda was trying not to giggle as George took her elbow politely.

"She was all condescension first time I rode until she discovered that I was one of the Frau Baronin's orphans" she said "Though last meet, they were wondering if I was related to the Ann Schmitt who married Herzog Von Frettchen."

"Heh, he'd probably think it a laugh to encourage that rumour; the Ferret has as warped a sense of humour as Lucius. Lucius Malfoy that is; I'm afraid we knock around with his kids and treat him as a spare uncle. Have you met him?"

"Yes; he was kind enough to invite me to Malfoy Manor with my friend Biirta in the long holidays. Will – will you be there?"

"It's possible; I DO have a girlfriend already though; otherwise I should be telling you that I'd make it my business to be there" said George. "Only Flo and me have been an item since before we were old enough to realise that we were. You'll enjoy yourself; Lucius and his wives love entertaining."

"I say! Did you just turn a flirting compliment without sounding smarmy?" said Magda.

"Well it was meant as a compliment; you're a beautiful girl with a lot of talent" said George "And I certainly HOPE it didn't sound smarmy; because it was sincere."

"It's nice to get compliments that aren't the sort that end 'so lay down and open your legs'" said Magda.

"Well if you ask me, you've met some rum sort of blokes" said George.

"I'm a penniless orphan; what sort of blokes do you THINK I've met?" asked Magda.

"Evidently the sort I'd expect any orphanage director to knock the block off of" said George.

"HE was one of them" said Magda "And – and I couldn't stop him doing it."

"Have you told Jade – Frau Von Luytens?" asked George "She's a sort of big sister to me; but she'd be so sympathetic!"

"I – I hadn't; only told her that I didn't want to be used" said Magda.

"Well you jolly well tell her; and she'll arrange something unpleasant to happen to him so he can't do it to any other girls" said George firmly.

He took her over to Jade and left her to it.

Magda took a deep breath.

"Please may I talk to you alone and seriously?" she asked "I don't want to lose my nerve."

Jade put an arm around her and drew her to one side with a flip of the hand.

"Nobody can hear us; and indeed most of them don't even notice that we're here and don't want to approach even" she said.

Magda nodded; Professor Von Strang was amazing in the spells she could manage without apparent effort! She took another deep breath and plunged into the explanation about how the director had been taking her to bed since she was thirteen, making her take abortifacient potions when she got pregnant because it was cheaper than regular contraceptives; and how used and dirty and humiliated she felt, especially when he passed her round his friends.

Jade wrapped her in her arms.

"Of course you do, kiddy" she said "Believe it or not, I do actually understand; I'm adopted and I don't think about my life before I went to mum and dad. But you don't have to give me the sideways look to see if I think you're telling the truth or if I think it was you're fault. It wasn't; whatever he said."

"How did you know?" gasped Magda.

"They always do" said Jade. "Well, I expect that talking about it has already helped some; it's not a burden you're carrying any more. I'll give you a full physical examination when we get home and see if you need any healing; I'm thinking that though it hurt at the time it's not caused you permanent damage or you wouldn't ride so readily. You may not believe me yet, but the act is extremely pleasant when it's with the right person; and I hope you will meet the right man and find this out for yourself. When you do, I would advise that you do NOT conceal your horrid experience; if a man drops you for that, he is no real man. A real man will treat you tenderly and be careful and only do what you want him to do. Having friends who happen to be boys should help; since it shows you that the creep is only a creep and not normal. And I will, by the way, see that he never does it again. One way or another; either by making him impotent, or if that's likely to make him get his jollies by hurting girls instead – your eyes say you think it will – then I'll turn him into a woman and let him be on the receiving end" she smiled brightly "A perfect solution, wouldn't you say?"

"Oh YES!" cried Magda with more animation and savagery then Jade had ever seen in her.

"There's a good girl; fighting the apathy it sets up" said Jade "I KNEW you were too quiet; but I wasn't about to force confidences. Now you've spoken up you can fight back; and by fighting back I mean you can promise yourself that it won't stop you leading a full life and, if you meet someone nice, getting married and having babies that are wanted by both of you; and not let him win by making you hold back."

Magda nodded.

"And I can use what I've learned to work against such creeps too" she said "And help other girls. I don't think I was the only one he used."

"I'll tell Helga; she needs to be aware" nodded Jade.

"Please, excuse me, how old were you when you were adopted away from – from bad experiences?"

"Seven" said Jade

Magda stared.

"So YOUNG? A man would want to…..?"

"I was five when it stopped when mummy found out and the thing that sired me and sold my little sister and me to such men went to prison and I was in an orphanage" said Jade "So I know about dire orphanages too. I hate people who hurt children; and I do things about it" she added.

"You gave us all a new life; even if you had decided not to educate us older ones" said Magda. "I shall fight too; I CAN do it; and Biirta will too. I used to envy her the birthmark; it made him hit her about for being ugly and therefore stupid; but he never used her. She always comforted me. We can work together in this new hospital; and help too to get creeps put away even if we aren't good enough to do clever transfigurations on them!"

"Oh you're good at transfigurations; you never know" said Jade. "Here, let me cast some cleaning spells on your face; tears never leave it as nice as it should be. As that whining piece of French froth that had a tantrum over being beaten by Berthold ought to figure out, silly moo; same comment on the junkerette who you two hammered so thoroughly."

"Wasn't George magnificent?" said Magda.

"He rose to the occasion if her face after talking to him is anything to go by; he does have a girlfriend you know."

"Yes; Flo looks very nice" said Magda.

"So long as you're not smitten…. If they don't stay as an item that's one thing. But one doesn't poach."

Magda nodded.

"I don't know him well enough anyway" she said. "I might have liked to get to know him better if he didn't have a girlfriend; he's so kind. But as he does I know where I stand."

They rejoined everyone else for the prizes; and the French girl was conspicuous by her absence; and the German girl with the Pegasan glowered, as did the obvious young junker also excluded from the top places, .as George and Magda were given red and blue rosettes and Magda had a small silver cup.

oOoOo

The Prince Peak contingent went homeward and Jade let her small group stay to watch Lucius compete in the first rounds of the Puissance, though they would not stay for the adult point-to-point on the morrow.

"Won't his horse be tired doing all those power moves AND a point-to-point?" asked Berthold.

"Lucius, like most serious horsemen, has a horse for each discipline" Jade explained. "As you get older, we will see about more school horses. And I'll sponsor you to continue riding when you leave school, both of you; if you are interested in the adult circuit. Rainer will put pocket money aside towards other mounts of his own; as Lucius makes his own children do. Hermes IS too old for the rigours of adult competition, Magda; when you approach seventeen we'll see about a younger mount. Berthold can graduate to Hermes then so the old boy doesn't feel unwanted. He loves competition, doesn't he?"

"Let's just say, he IS the one who's in charge!" Magda managed a grin; Hermes was a wonderful horse!

oOoOo

Lucius was magnificent on a striking black flying horse that had everyone asking what breed it was. Rumour had it that the beast was bred from sport Granians; it certainly had the head shape of a Granian more than anything else; and rumour too whispered of Thestral blood.

Rumour was, as Jade knew, quite correct; Lucius had been doing breeding experiments – with the enthusiastic co-operation of Hagrid – to obtain a dead black, but visible steed with the superior intelligence of a thestral. There was also the blood of the Cyniseran pony in there; a small lithe pony used for pulling racing buggies, making this new horse smaller than a Granian and, said some, unsuited for puissance, that required an Aethonian or an Abraxan. The sturdy and intelligent animal proved its detractors wrong, being strong and clever in the way it approached the fiendishly difficult obstacles, and was able to turn on a sickle! Lucius finished the course laughing in sheer delight.

And Jade took the tired children home before they could get seduced into chatting to Bellerophon – Lucius had classical tastes in the naming of his horses – and be fit for nothing on the morrow.

oOoOo

Jade had a small errand to attend to before term restarted.

She made a visit in the wee small hours to the erstwhile director of the orphanage, who was living on the charity of his Vehmgericht brother who had set him up in an apartment for the sake of blood ties without wanting anything to do with someone under investigation by the law over fraud. Her intervention meant he would probably escape being tried for fraud; but then, he would have other, more pressing worries.

Jade woke him.

"You!" he said.

"I found out, you know" said Jade, conversationally, "That you raped the girls under your care; an unforgivable breach of trust. So for Magda and the others I'm going to do something about it."

"Will you hell! You don't dare actually assault me; you'll be in gaol too and a pretty piece like you will soon be used by everyone in any orifice you have!" he said.

Jade smiled.

"But you see, laddie, you can make accusations until you're black in the face; and nobody is going to believe you; because I'm going to see to it that they won't. I'm going to transfigure you so thoroughly that you won't even show as anything but some relative of yours on your Malfoy lines; a bastard daughter perhaps. Because soon you'll be a woman. You'll be younger; because I shall arrange that; and you'll be beautiful enough to attract the unwelcome attention Magda attracted; and you'll also be half goblin just because I'm vindictive on behalf of my charges. Scream all you like; there's a muffling spell on the room."

And Jade chanted; repairing some of the ageing so that he would be young enough to seem vulnerable; changing him utterly with naming magic to be a lovely half goblin woman with a voluptuous figure but that touch of elfin childishness to the face that some goblins and half goblins had, to attract the same sort of men as he was.

"If I was you I'd spend any money you have on contraceptive drafts" said Jade "Unless you want a dozen brats about your feet over the next couple of decades. And if I was you I'd leave this place too; your brother is going to believe you're a whore who rolled and killed his brother; and the locals round here don't like people with even partly goblin features. And that's my revenge for the way you treated the goblins; because everyone looks down on half breeds, justly or otherwise. I've altered one of your robes to be feminine; and I really advise you to be gone before the sun rises. Ciao!"

She would have her people keep an eye on him – her – and relieve her of any babies she did bring to term. No point wishing such a parent on innocent sprogs! But Magda had suffered the pain and indignity of abortion; why should not her tormentor?

Jade slipped back in between the sheets with her Wulf and fell asleep satisfied in a job well done.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Jade reflected how different the attitude was in this new school from that in Hogwarts, Durmstrang and even Prince Peak, where there was always a degree of hurried desperation in the last weeks leading up to the exams. But none of these children had ever had the experience of watching elders become nervous, even tearful; and most of them were used at best to a hard life and at worst to adversity, and by comparison waiting for exams was trivial. Even though these exams could be the single most important event in their lives. All however knew that they could stay up to three years more to complete the necessary basic exams; more important for the four goblins than their human colleagues. And as such they did not have to worry; but were to look upon the exams, as Wulf had said, as merely a test of how much they had learned; and if they qualified as well, that was a bonus. And they accepted the command to take things easy and stay relaxed with the absolute trust they had reposed throughout the year in their teachers; and consequently did not indulge in hysteria or even minor panic. It was rather awe inspiring that one had so much power; to tell a group of youngsters that they were fine and need not be concerned and have them believe that implicitly.

And at that, so long as they were not too laid back about it, they would probably do better for being relaxed.

oOoOo

And then the time had come; and the team of five examiners arrived and introduced themselves to Wulf. There were three women and two men of varying ages; and the chief of the examiners, a Herr Schillern, who had written the German text book on charms, an elderly man, explained carefully to Wulf that the examiners were chosen as carefully as possible to have no prejudices against goblins, nor yet to be vocal over goblin rights so neither would injustice be done nor seen to be done; and that all five would observe the practicals of each subject with two examining at once and three observers for absolute fairness; and too to get an idea of the level of ZAP achievements to discuss if need be each case.

Wulf nodded.

"Thank you for attempting to be as fair as possible" he said "Though from sworn examiners one might expect to find nothing but the highest of standards. There are, as I am sure you are aware, nine different exams to be taken, some of which will be to the level of ZP. The children have worked hard."

"We are impressed that there are children ready to take the exams as well as sundry adults ready to take advantage of the new rules" said Herr Schillern. "The eyes of the world are upon this set of exams; and we of the exam board have resolved to mark these results and those of the ZPs more quickly than usual so that the reporters of the Wizarding Wireless can catch up with your students before the end of term."

Wulf groaned.

"That's an incentive to send the whole bunch home early IF you like! The kids don't need to be pestered by that unnecessary torture, surely?"

"But they will surely wish their moment of fame?" asked Schillern perplexed.

"Wherefore? It is most unpleasant for a child to be exposed to the spotlight of public scrutiny" said Wulf coldly "I will speak with the class once their exams are over; perhaps they will agree to issuing a statement. But if any reporters hound any of them, I WILL be taking out lawsuits against any such media body for child molesting. I trust you will make that clear if you decide that you wish YOUR few minutes of fame?"

The tone was so contemptuous that Schillern flushed.

"Thank you; no I do not; I have the fame I require in the acknowledgement of my academic achievement; I but thought to let the world know that these children are the first, and that nothing can take away from them that they are achieving something out of the ordinary – the goblin children particularly here, I mean" he added.

"No they are not" said Wulf "The first goblin to achieve a ZP level of qualification was Kinat gan Konal in England in, let me see, the Millenium year, May 2000. He went on to gain six ZH equivalents two years later, four of them at 'O' grade; and goblins have achieved high grades ever since. Gorbrin Malfoy-Tobak is taking eight ZH equivalents in Hogwarts this year – where he is head boy – and he is tipped to get 'O' grade in all of them; because he really IS that good; and because he has a friendly rivalry with his cousin, my wife. They are the first in Germany; but the point that goblins may achieve has been proven elsewhere and they are nothing out of the ordinary save in the amount of hard work ALL the entrants have put in, human and goblin alike, to catch up from no or minimal education to this level. I do not wish to take that away from them; but I will not have them gawped at by the media as though they were menagerie animals or had two heads."

He was white with anger.

Schillern blinked.

"I am sorry; I had no idea you felt so strongly about that. And though I acknowledge that goblins have been in education in England for some years, few people in Germany are aware of that fact and wish to know how those of their own culture feel about – as one hopes – doing well in public exams."

"Then the silly fools can put in to do exams themselves and then they'll know how they feel, won't they?" said Wulf laconically "Save that people who wonder so idly and are so risible as to do so are probably too turgid of thought to manage to pass; if they asked 'what's it like to be rather clever instead of being a moron like the rest of us?' there might be some point; but you can't explain intellect and a thirst for knowledge to the terminally imbecilic any more than you can explain the feel of the build up of a ritual spell tingling to your fingertips to a squib or a muggle. As though goblin children felt any differently to human children! The media is insulting; and if any come onto our lands they will be ejected. We will issue a statement; the results will be published in the papers as a matter of public record as is the law. Who needs to know more?"

"What Herr Schillern is saying" said a younger woman with rigidly controlled strawberry blonde hair "Is that most people who listen to Wizarding Wireless and read the papers ARE moronic and it might help educated goblins to be accepted if they answer stupid questions to show that they ARE just like other kids."

Wulf growled low in his throat.

"Public relations is it? Well I can understand the need for THAT I suppose; thank you Gnadige Frau for your translation. I will speak then to the children and see if any are willing for such a charade; if none are, that is an end to it and a statement will be issued that they are only children and do not wish to be a part of any media circus."

"I LOVE your turn of phrase, Herr Professor" said the strawberry blonde. "I never knew anyone able to be quite so insulting without actually degenerating into coarseness."

"Ah? Then I imagine you never met Professor Snape" said Wulf, with a wolfish grin. "I have heard him verbally excoriate someone he detests in well rounded periods for better than five minutes without repeating himself or descending to scatological terms, all the while defending himself from their futile attacks without word or wand or breaking out in a sweat. My father in law IS rather a man on whom I would model myself. Now, if you would care to come to the Hall, Mittagessen is prepared and the first exam is to take place afterwards under the auspices of Lucius Malfoy who is the only one qualified to examine it; as we have two entrants taking the English OWL in chanting. Lucius is rather keen to have trainees in the German Examinations board so he does not have to flit around so many schools as Beauxbatons is also putting it on their curriculum and Durmstrang has had it for a whole year now."

"Er, quite" said Schillern.

oOoOo

Lucius was a snide figure at Mittagessen; and when Wulf told him of the media interest he frowned.

"So the media in Germany is as bad as some of our worst rags in England then?" he said. "Gorbrin's going to be beset by the scrofulous attentions of the ergregiously irritating; but then he IS the first goblin to have ambitions to be an Auror; and is one of four youngsters in his year preparing to go for training. And the ruddy 'Daily Prophet' has a book on how many of his NEWTs will be at 'O'. Tripe hounds the lot of them; carrion. I always tell them to mind their own qualified business and if they print any old rubbish I just sue. Most journalists should be incarcerated in Azkaban for the cold blooded murder of their mother tongue; not to mention the annihilation and massacre of the truth. My own employees excepted; they know what would happen if they deviate from the actualité on my time. So Wulf, any problems with this first year?"

"The usual teething problems; re-timetabling the odd kid who couldn't care about any dark arts past dealing with a boggart and getting up a shield charm and who wants to study some fool subject like chanting instead" said Wulf.

Lucius laughed.

"Always one awkward one!" he said. "You've an adult to be examined in chanting as well though?"

"Yes; and she wouldn't bother only she is half goblin and needs the paperwork to wave. She's taking six straight ZP's – or rather five ZP's and the Chanting OWL; hasn't had time for any more, recently married with a small baby you see. She needs too the official qualifications to be on the staff of St Bernards when it gets going; which should be over the summer. Brilliant potioneer; like your Gorbrin, born to it. Her daughter's at Prince Peak, so her dad doesn't teach her here. One of the top of the class as I hear. Thick as thieves with Von Frettchen's young brother in law and ward and our own protégés from Munich."

One might as well, after all, rub in to the examiners that Prince Peak took goblins, was a school for high flyers, and was patronised by the relatives of the most famous duke in Germany.

"You have not included your Munich protégés in your own school Herr Professor?" asked Schillern.

"Certainly not; for one thing, it would be like having one's own children; we only have our oldest adoptive son in the school because the decision to adopt him was rather late in the holidays and apart from mucking him about would rather have been a discourtesy to Professor Snape so late" said Wulf "He has made friends and has not suffered any teasing for being a staff child; he's a friendly youth and seems to make friends easily and so avoids feeling too much an outsider as can happen. Naturally all the staff are harder on him than on any others; and he accepts that with philosophy. Besides, both Alrik and Fyra were so far on they would have needed to be placed some two or three years above their chronological age; but of course in Prince Peak that doesn't show. The standards are rather high there after all; now we have a school here in Germany, Professor Snape can afford to reject any but the cream. It is a school for the highly talented; ours is a school for any who want education badly enough to work for it. We'll even take squibs if they'll work on the non magical subjects like Arithmancy; and we'll see if we can find any kind of ability at all; Lucius will tell you that his brother is doing a study on squibs to see whether they may have latent skills brought out; as squibs can be the progenitors of perfectly normal wizards and witches. There's a long ritual in preparation as I understand?"

"Yes; Vladimir asked me for some notes on the practical aspects of the chanting" said Lucius "He's in consultation with Severus of course; Severus IS the greatest expert on ritual magic the world may ever have known."

"Yes; and I'd back Severus to handle four Efreeti without losing control of them by having a showy, but ultimately fragile circle of protection. We had an attack of goblin haters" Wulf explained. "Jade smeared the efreeti once they decided to head in four different directions with the idiot who summoned them once our raincloud put out his fiery protection."

"Four? He must have been a total fool!" said Lucius, shocked. "I could handle three…. Four only if I was totally certain of my circle; I'd have Gorbrin cast me one in a goblin silver and vanadium alloy to lay down, personally, quenched in my own blood to make it more powerful. Severus could probably handle two without any protective circle, you're right, he's an expert at control spells; even I'm not as good as him. DRACO could do it too; and I wouldn't mind betting Seagh Snape doesn't need any protective circle either. But then, Sev would chant up an exclusion zone around himself instead. I didn't know Germans went in much for demonology."

"They don't; they'd acquired an Arabian spirit master, full regalia and the works looking, as my son's girl friend days, like he'd escaped from some nuthouse."

"Ah; marauders I suppose?"

"Quite; and if one of them hadn't been a rather decent seer we might have been caught a little flat footed and might even have taken casualties" said Wulf soberly "Can you find me a half decent divination teacher? It's no good waiting for Zlatka, she's sweet on Albert McMillan so they'll both be acting as finders for Alastor. I was thinking of a retired insurance diviner who's finding retirement a little flat."

"I'll do my best" said Lucius.

"Do you English actually put any credence in seers then?" Herr Schillern did not quite sneer.

"Oh in those who fall about frothing and having visions, not hardly" said Lucius "But there are those people who can read general futures – lifespan say – for anyone they meet; hence insurance diviners. And there are the weatherwise; and those who have odd but generally accurate dreams or visions. Severus has a cousin who draws pictures of things that are going to happen if a stimulus sets him off; he can do world disasters with a calendar, massive storms or earthquakes, that sort of thing. And Dowsers are damned useful; given an object belonging to an individual, the best can find exactly where he is on a map and declare if he's alive, dead or undead. The point of having a teacher is in case any child HAS an extraordinary talent."

"And we have two" said Wulf "And as one is a goblin, the first goblin I've ever heard of who isn't a disaster with divining, I really want to follow it up."

"Goodness, old boy, yes!" said Lucius "You almost have to! I thought goblins couldn't divine at all; Gorbrin has always thought so. So presumably it's just rarer even than in humans. WELL worth following up! And if your boy is a seer – not trances I hope?"

"No, the lad has rather vivid dreams; he says he knows by the texture of them if they're prophetic or just vivid dreams. Excellent visual recall and the ability to describe things he can't interpret; calling Efreeti fiery ghost sort of things."

"Not bad. So not the big ones then? Maybe the spirit master wasn't as much of a pratt as I thought."

"Or wasn't powerful enough to give them decent pseudo bodies" interposed Jade.

oOoOo

"Have you any idea what they're talking about?" whispered the strawberry blonde to Schillern.

The elderly wizard shook his head in agitation.

"It is true; the English ARE far beyond us in magical theory" he conceded "I have only the haziest idea of just what Efreeti are; and none of the ritual to raise them. If such things are for discussing over meals so calmly the English ARE the masters of ritual. I only know enough to know that such things are as far beyond ordinary wizards as spells are beyond muggles and should be avoided as too dangerous."

It may be said that the exam board looked on the heads and Lucius with some awe; and made no more snide comments.

Especially as they did not have a clue about what Lucius was talking about in having a protective circle made of goblin silver and vanadium alloy – not even knowing what vanadium was – and the idea of quenching it in his own blood was blood magic and way outside their experience! From having been accustomed to examine the Dark Arts rather than the defences against the same they had been ready to despise English ways; but the English were terrible and spoke casually of blood magic and demonology!

oOoOo

The chanting exam started with the practical; and Gunnar complained to Jade who was settling him and Taryn down that he felt a fool at the idea of chanting in front of people and it made his ears feel bigger than ever.

"You chant in front of me" said Jade "What's the difference? Ignore the silly fellows from the exam board; they have no say over whether you pass or no. Chant for my Uncle Lucius as you would for me."

"I must say I find that encouraging too" said Taryn as Gunnar grinned in shamefaced relief.

"Just remember; it's not as embarrassing as the first big chant to free elves from self punishment that couldn't be stopped for anything; you only have to chant for one hour not eight so you won't have to pee in your pants" said Jade. "Believe me, it's no fun; especially when you're only a kid – I was younger than you – and feel your dignity most excruciatingly. I was only included because of the ritual significance of my bloodline. Think of that if you feel embarrassed, huh?"

"I think you're amazingly brave and wonderful Frau Professor" said Gunnar.

They read the prepared chant; did breathing exercises; and chanted for the hour that would definitely prevent any sharks from invading the castle that was after all only a few hundred miles from the nearest sea.

It was apparent that Taryn was by far and away better than Gunnar; but then Taryn had been using it for real.

oOoOo

The exam covered knowledge of poetry forms, picking which form to team with which type of curse to be broken, and designing a brief chant to tie a charm to an item if one knew no enchanting rituals. Jade had drilled both her senior students fairly ruthlessly in poetic form; sometimes it was handy to know and it could make a difference – unless you were a very fine instinctive chanter – what form you chose. Taryn wrote absently about assimilative correlation by association or cultural reference having heard it referred to and having no idea that using assimilative correlation in chanting was a NEWT level concept. And had been invented as a concept by Jade in any case. Gunnar thought he had written something relevant on all the questions and cheated faintly with the chant to get around enchanting since he was also studying enchanting, and borrowed a little bit of ritual to add to his chant by way of a starting point. Naturally Lucius noticed this when he came to mark the paper; and dithered but gave the boy some credit because one might have heard a part of enchanting ritual without having studied it; the way Jade had 'Just happened to pick up' so many subjects she had never formally studied.

Gunnar was glad to have one over; the one he declared was the worst.

oOoOo

There were eleven people taking charms; and of those, three were taking it to ZP level; Shizue, Gunnar and Taryn. The rest, including Gennic and Hunnic were only taking ZAP level; the adult goblins were sticking to ZAP save in the odd subject that interested them, because it was all they needed. Taryn was taking all ZPs to qualify subsequently as a Healer. She could pass ZH in Potions and Arithmancy as it stood; but preferred to have her legal wand before worrying about what she was capable of.

The exam was along similar lines to the English exam; effectively the paper was the same but those taking ZAP had about a quarter of the questions redacted, those covering subjects generally learned only in the fifth year. There were questions on cheering charms, on wand motions to go with incantations, on locomotor charms, and on colour change charms. The three taking ZP answered in addition some questions on banishing and summoning charms. They might also be expected to give more detailed answers than the ZAP candidates.

The practical was the same for all; except that a higher standard was expected from the ZP students. Each student had to still dancing teacups, change the size of one of them, then make it cartwheel, lift it in the air, change its colour and then summon it to the hand with the spell _accio._

It may be said that everyone except the three taking the ZP, plus Gennic, Hunnic and Biirta managed to still only one of the cups. Biirta managed two of them before she lost concentration. Those taking the ZP, Shizue, Gunnar and Taryn carefully stilled each cup at a time. Kole set up a small ritual to cover the whole test, setting up a muttered chant to tie one of the cups to him by naming it Franz; whereupon he might use Finnish naming magic by concentrating his incantations on Franz to increase the effect. With which extra help he managed to struggle more or less through the tests, and if his _wingardium leviosa_ did not lift the cup very high it lifted; though cartwheeling the thing was beyond him and it rolled over in a hiccoughy sort of way.

Biirta was pleased to have completed all the tests fairly successfully, if very slowly and perhaps not as completely as someone more adept might have done; the only problem that she had being to summon the cup and then fail to catch it and, losing control, dropped and broke it. As Ktell also broke one during an overenthusiastic cartwheel they anxiously asked Ritter as soon as they were released if they would have to pay for them and would it affect the grades much.

"No and no" said Ritter"The exam board expects some breakages; they figure thatin to the charge made to the schools that require examiners. And breakages can happen at any level. There's another" as a splintering crash sounded in the hall.

That one was Magda whose shrinking cup had shrunk too fast; and Ritter reassured her too.

That then was over for good or ill.

oOoOo

Care of Magical Beasts was next. This was the province of Magda and the two external adult male goblins. Hunnic was sticking to ZAP; Gennic and Magda were both taking it to ZP.

The practical involved cleaning a firecrab, dealing with a chizpurfle infestation and discussing with the examiner the diet of sick unicorns. Gennic had the touch with all animals and avoided being singed by his fire crab, dealt adequately with the parasites and spoke knowledgeably about the diet of any sick equine, and the need to make sure that unicorns had silver salts in their diet to replace any sweated through distress. Magda knew less about unicorns but had a good basic idea and only faintly singed one hand with the firecrab. Hunnic did well apart from setting fire to the examiner's notes with the firecrab and getting a nasty burn himself.

All burns were treated before the written; which covered brief questions on a wide number of creatures to be found in the wizarding world, their description, habitat, habits and any peculiarity that made them worth mentioning. The ZP students were expected to answer the questions in greater depth and rather than having redacted questions for the ZAP student, the ZP students were expected to write a paragraph on each creature, whereas the instructions on Hunnic's paper was to write one or two sentences or list all he knew about them. Which, as he said afterwards, was more than he'd realised with some and a sight less with others. Gennic knew he had done well; he had read widely since he and Franziska had fled from her father, since he did not have the long hours dealing with flying horses and kit that he had done as the ostler and coachman to the Schiff family. Magda was not displeased with how she had done; she had not known all the creatures, but had left questions and gone on to those she did know, with a space in case anything occurred, as she had been instructed by Jade. And indeed she had been able to go back and scribble at least something into a couple of the blank places. There was a lot more writing than blank; and that had to be good.

oOoOo

The greater number of the class were taking Dark Arts, and too Gennic and Hunnic as it seemed sensible to be able to fight such things; especially for Hunnic, as a troubleshooter for Jade, who was taking the ZP. Gauda, Ktell and Kole were taking the ZP too; Ktell's solitary ZP.

Like the charms exam, those taking ZAP had certain questions redacted. Jade actually went through a ZP and ZAP paper and worked out that the redacted parts meant that the score could only ever reach half a percentage under ZP pass of 'A'; which brought the ZAP very neatly in line with the idea of using a fail at 'P' as a passed ZAP. She thought it very efficient and said so to Herr Schillern; which made up a lot, for him, over his discomfort about the level of knowledge of ritual at the level the Snapes and Malfoys took for granted. He positively purred and admitted that it had been his idea. Jade asked him to write to the French and English ministries with the suggestion, that she too would endorse and so probably would Professor Fraser of Hogwarts and her father Professor Snape, who might teach high flyers but who also took an interest in general education and would like the Schillern System. Herr Schillern was delighted! THAT was the sort of recognition he craved, that the system should perhaps be known as the Schillern system!

oOoOo

The written exam called for the definition of dark creatures; and called for details on listed ones, recognition and how to deal with them, much as had the care of beasts exam, save that instead of writing less the more complex creatures were redacted. The same was so of the recognition of jinxes and curses by effect. The greater part of the marks lay in the practical.

The candidates must resist two curses, cast two, and curse an item chosen out of three, a hat, a pair of shoes and a necklace; and deal with a boggart. Again, as in the charms exam, the ZAP candidates had a lower expectation of their abilities.

It may be said that the examiner, Herr Bergen, who Jade knew well enough, was impressed though not particularly surprised at the level of defensive spells all the children knew. It was one thing that was drilled in pretty thoroughly in the ECC; which was why the only one who had to have his teeth put back was Lazek. And in the offensive spells, Shizue used her skill with transfiguration and got creative enough to send Herr Bergen's ears flying round the room and turn his tongue into a frog. When he found that she could also produce a patronus of sorts, he insisted that she sit the redacted questions over a timed period of the time she had sat, finished, with the rest, to be entered as a ZP. Shizue had chosen to curse the hat to transfigure when filled with a head to become a green slimy blancmange because she thought it was amusing but not really totally harmful. Most of the ZAP students had stuck with the safe option of shrinking shoes. Gauda cursed the necklace to tell the truth about the thoughts of anyone giving it which as she said ought to settle the hash of any false lover. Ktell used the hat to put a babbling curse on the wearer; and Kole played safe with the shoes knowing he had delivered a reasonable written AND had a patronus. As even Lazek could manage something they would all get some bonus marks and Shizue was delighted that Herr Bergen had as good as said that she had scraped a ZP pass if she had not made a mess of the written! And not one of them had failed to deal with their boggarts; and Jade now knew why Magda's boggart was the erstwhile director; and had showed her the picture of what he had looked like transfigured and dressed as a whore. And for the first time Magda was able to deal with it; and was very pleased.

"They are very accomplished; are you teaching this class?" Herr Bergen asked Jade.

"No; it's Traudl Mondschein. But we do cover defences in the ECC" said Jade. "And having been attacked and seen the value of patronuses by the only three who could manage them then did rather concentrate the minds wonderfully of everyone else. I love the way the more complex curses are moderately benign!"

"Indeed; though I confess with the jinxes it was a shock to open my mouth and find a creature attached to me shouting 'Ribbet! Ribbet!'" said Herr Bergen. "Most of the others stuck to the disarming spell as one of their jinxes; not strictly a jinx I have to say, but probably more useful in fights or duels at that. Having my nose screaming obscenities in ancient Greek was the funniest however."

"Ah, that'll be Kole" said Jade. "Hot on ancient runes is Kole; fond of Aristophanes too."

"Oh well, I should be pleased then I only had one frog from the Japanese girl; I could have ended up with the croaking chorus" said Herr Bergen.

oOoOo

Magda was dreading the next exam; potions. Biirta, Gunnar and of course Taryn took the ZP; and it was another exam everyone was taking.

The practical was first. The two levels were split; the ZP students had to brew the Confusing and Befuddlement Draught and an appropriate antidote. Taryn was never going to have any trouble with this and applied Golapott ruthlessly and balanced the fwooper feathers in the confusing and befuddlement draught with Jobberknoll feathers from the memory potion along with a balanced selection of ingredients from both memory and wit sharpening potions. The spicy dark red potion made her feel invigorated just from the smell; that should do very nicely.

Neither Biirta nor Gunnar had any trouble with their confusing and befuddlement draught; it was one Professor Rebet had covered with the ZP students over the Easter break and was fresh in their minds. Brewing an antidote was going to be tricky! Biirta firmly brewed the memory potion because it had feathers in it too; unfortunately she forgot to write down the reason for her choice, which might have gained her a few more points for making an intelligent decision; Gunnar brewed the wit-sharpening potion and on due consideration added a few chopped Jobberknoll feathers; and he DID write it down.

Those taking merely the ZAP were segregated to brew the wit sharpening potion being a potion appropriate to their level. Magda took a deep breath and hoped that she got it right; and concentrated hard on the proper number of stirs, counting to herself under her breath. She felt as though it was a draught she could do with herself! Still, the pleasant gingery smell was faintly helpful, and was not counteracted by the armadillo bile. Her potion was a bit turgid as compared to what she could see of the others; but it was at least still liquid enough to decant. If she could do well enough on the written she had a chance of passing; and she was very thankful that she had not had to brew the antidote to a poison!

The written was, like most others redacted in certain questions; the ZAP students had only to cite Golapott's first law, not his second; and one of the poisons for which they had to list ingredients for an antidote was also left off. The ZAP students did not have to draw and label a Chinese chomping cabbage either; but all had to answer questions on the use of certain ingredients in potioneering. Magda was a methodical girl and wrote all she knew and hoped that she had done enough. Fortunately Taryn was old enough to be tactful and to hide her beaming smile and bite off her declaration that it was so nice and easy on seeing the slightly frazzled faces of some of the candidates.

oOoOo

Next day was Transfigurations.

Again everyone was taking this; and this WAS Magda's subject, and she was one of those taking the ZP along with Shizue, Gauda, Gunnar, Taryn and Gennic; the last of whom wanted the option of learning medical transfiguration for horses. When Bertel left to set up a Scandinavian School, Jade planned to have Franziska take over teaching Ancient Runes, since she was very competent, and install Gennic as stable master and riding professor, since by then they would probably have enough horses to make it worth while.

The written paper was first, similarly treated to the other papers as the ZAP students were not required to write about vanishing spells or conjuration. Magda could only recall _evanesco_ and had forgotten that there were other vanishing spells that took the object of the spell to other – usually random – locations and the more complex variant to take something to a known location, which was essentially a form of third party apportation, as Gunnar wrote, which phrase he was particularly pleased with. All recalled that conjuring objects took more energy than conjuring pure energy itself and fortunately at this level they were not required to know why. There were for all the students long essay type questions on switching spells – even Biirta felt she had answered this fairly fully having brushed up hard on theory – and on human transfigurations. All the children were familiar with the idea of Wulf and Jade being animagi; so they were moderately knowledgeable. It would be in the practical that some of the ZAP students would fall down.

The standard ZP required the conjuration of a quill, and marks given on how ornate it was; Vanishing the contents of a bowl; the switching of the contents of two more bowls, some marks given for switching the bowls themselves in their entirety; a cross species switch, and an animate to inanimate transfiguration, being much like the OWL in format since, when all was said and done, it tested the same skills. The ZAP students were not required to attempt either conjuration or vanishing.

Magda concentrated on getting her quill just right rather than going for anything fancy; her early efforts had produced something shaped like a feather but a solid piece of chitinous material. She had progressed considerably.

"Did you mean to make it left handed?" asked the examiner.

"Yes ma'am; I AM left handed" said Magda. "It's quite handy for me, because there are always spare left handed quills as everyone else wants the right handed ones."

The examiner nodded and Magda used _evanesco_ on the contents of the bowl; and then proceeded to make a bit of a mess of switching the bowls and made something of an unholy concatenation of the contents whilst so doing. She grimaced.

"Never mind dear; put it behind you and press on" said the examiner kindly. Magda smiled gratefully. As Jade had guessed the subject for transfiguration was a tortoise; and Magda turned him successfully into a toad and then, after the examiner restored him, into a plain but serviceable box that neither wandered off nor tried to eat lettuce. And then she was done; and all her exams were over.

Magda retired to the shrubbery to laugh, cry and make, as she put it, a general fool of herself.

Biirta was delighted with her efforts too; she managed to switch the bowls, even though she spilled one as it reappeared; turned her tortoise into a toad with only a hexagonal pattern of plates on his back, and though her box wandered off vaguely in search of lettuce it was a box. Biirta beamed.

"A personal best, my dear?" asked the examiner.

"Yes ma'am; I have trouble with transfigurations" said Biirta "I find the theory quite fascinating but actually performing is the catch; the only thing I'm any good at is switching spells."

The examiner laughed kindly.

"The one most people have trouble with" she said.

Gunnar performed very well and his quill was an ostrich feather dyed in a subtle pattern graduating from golden yellow to a pale cream. His tortoise was inlaid and decorative and the examiner congratulated him on achieving so much in so short a time. Shizue and Taryn performed above expectations too, and Gauda very adequately; and Gennic, who had decided that he might as well be a showman for his wife's sake rather than almost apologetic for being a goblin, produced a magnificent peacock feather, shimmering its bronzed sheen. Gustav Schiff had kept peacocks; and Gennic was observant. The examiner was delighted. Ktell, Kole, Lazek, and Hunnic, the others besides Biirta sticking to ZAP did not disgrace themselves either, though Kole's box bit the examiner and Ktell's left an offering of its digestive powers on the table and Lazek's toad had the remnants of a shell looking rather as though it was wearing a coalscuttle helmet.

They all switched the bowls – not attempting to switch contents as some of the more talented did – with more or less skill and more or less spillage.

Gennic and Hunnic were now finished and departed thankfully. Sitting in desks felt very odd! Of the other children most had at least one more exam left; but apart from Kole and Taryn nobody was taking Ancient Runes so they gratefully took a day off! It was at least the majority of the exams; and those that were left were largely those chosen to make up their ZAP five and for some, those chosen purely for interest.

The rest was however welcome!


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Taryn knew that Ancient Runes was never going to be her best result; passing at ZP level might be touch and go. But Ihor rated it as useful for research.

The exam was as it were a practical embedded in a written, in that it was all about translating a number of passages in a variety of scripts. Jade considered the exam inferior to the OWL, where some reasoning was called for in interpreting the translations made, and where the translations were usually at least something interesting, or even funny; as Lucius set the English exam he let his sometimes warped imagination have full rein and Jade considered that students who were amused and interested actually performed – and learned – better. The eight short passages here were a trifle turgid.

Still the students struggled through them, Kole faster and with more fluency than Taryn who buried her face in her hands over the Hieroglyphs.

At last it was over and the two victims fled outside for fresh air.

oOoOo

Arithmancy had started as one of the core subjects and so had a fair number of people taking it; those who could cope and had not begged for another option. As four of the seven taking the exam were taking ZP and only Lazek was questionable in his ability it was likely to be an exam most of them should moderately enjoy, thought Jade; forgetting that 'enjoy' was NOT necessarily a verb employed by many over Arithmancy.

The questions redacted for this exam were those involving calculus, the calculation of the maxima and minima of a number of wizards of specified MHR capacity – Man-hours running, the arbitrary measure of energy in the wizarding world – to open a given area of wizarding space; and in the calculation of a simple apportation. For the simpler questions, numerological calculations on marriage partners were the usual type, as well as a question that expected the completion of two more places in a number of series. Jade thought it a good question and resolved to take that back to the exam board in England; it tested recognition of the Wenlock series, prime numbers and factorial numbers – requiring the calculation of the next two of these – as well as simple relationships. All the schoolchildren taking the higher exam struggled with the calculus; which was hardly surprising as it was a subject that could do with a month or more to cover fully, even the limited differential calculus that was all that was required to this level, and they had done it in just under three weeks. They would get some credit for knowing that they needed to find where the values of y/ x was zero even if they got in a muddle with the calculations; knowing that the slope on the curve investigated was flat to indicate top and bottom. Jade had told her class to write down everything they knew even if they could not complete a calculation; and hoped they knew and remembered enough. Taryn seemed to have no difficulty at all.

oOoOo

Taryn had now finished too, and four more of the children, Biirta, Shizue, Ktell and Lazek.

The next exam was then Enchanting; and both Gunnar and Kole were taking the ZP.

The written was a fairly standard series of questions on the reasons that certain items took enchantment better than others, and a calculation of the greater amount of energy required to enchant inappropriate objects, and hence the increase in ritual. There was an essay on wand woods; which they had covered fairly well, and on the choice of core.

The practical involved enchanting a quill and ink separately; and an item of the entrant's choice prepared beforehand for enchanting in front of the examiner. Gunnar made his pen write to dictation, and his ink transfer automatically to a pen that had been tapped against the lid. He had found the amount of written work he was doing heavy weather and this seemed like a good idea! His chosen item to enchant was a book that would open on command at the last place he had closed it. Kole made his pen uncursable and his ink to highlight words on command. It was the sort of thing that made revision easier. He enchanted a clock to shout at him to wake up because early mornings were an issue.

They were glad when it was over; because that was THEIR last exam. And only Gauda had any left, with Geomancy.

oOoOo

The geomancy exam was based on English lines, being a new exam in Germany.

There were questions on making a place unplottable, and Gauda had to draw in the principle ley lines in Germany and write about what made the use of ley lines so useful.

The practical required Gauda and her broom to be taken to an unknown spot and find her way back to school using ley lines; and since she was an unqualified goblin requiring a wand to find ley lines the examiner accompanied her in case she met anyone who wanted to make trouble. Once on the ley lines she should move too fast for anyone to bother her; and the place she was taken was fairly secluded; but one never knew.

Gauda used the four-point spell's ley line finding variant and was soon on her way back to the castle; and if she was not the fastest candidate ever she was methodical.

It was a new enough exam that the concept of juveniles being able to tap a power hitherto only known as a ministry secret in the Ministry of Transport was impressive enough; and the examiner too had needed to learn how to do it. He had to hurry away to test those applicants at Durmstrang, being a rare breed as yet in his skill to examine this esoteric practical; but the rest of the examiners stayed for Kaffee und Kuchen.

oOoOo

"It feels kind of strange" said Kole when they held an overall post mortem with Wulf and Jade and their subject teachers, outside for the beautiful weather that evening. "I mean, we've been working like stink for what seems like forever; and now it's all over. At least, for the time being."

"It is always a slightly anticlimactic feeling after exams" said Jade "Because for the rest of the school lessons are still going on. It's oddest when you realise that actually you're leaving school and you won't be with the friends you've made day in day out ever again, at least most of them; and you also realise that you have to make your own rules of life because there's nobody to enforce school rules any more. And I have to say, learning to do that is something we need to work on with those of you who have been in the orphanage, because institutions take away any self determination you have. Generally in schools, the sixth – which most of you will be entering – have more privileges and responsibilities concomitant with them; and are given trust to obey the rules of their own accord and to behave sensibly. It's part of the training towards independence. Lazek, are you still determined, assuming you have your grades, to leave education?"

"Yes professor; I can make a lot of difference in the lives of my family with any salary I can get; I'll be the most highly educated goblin in my country, let alone town. And that will make me a comparative big shot; sought after. I like the thought of that."

"Don't let the crime bosses exploit you Lazek" said Jade soberly "And if you think you ARE being used, or if you're in trouble, don't hesitate to contact us; you're one of our boys and the school takes care of its own. I don't say we'd get you off if you'd committed a crime; but we'd see to an Anwalt for you and if you'd been suckered in we'd do our damnedest to extract you from the consequences of other peoples' perfidy."

Lazek looked surprised.

"Why Professor! And I thought you didn't like me!"

"I haven't found you as easy to get to know as some, Lazek; but even if I disliked you, which I don't, you would still be one of our boys" said Jade. "And I wish you the best of luck. I would suggest, if you find yourself offered any deal or job that you're not sure about taking, that you think 'what would Herr Professor Luytens advise' before you accept; you would be at liberty to ignore the probable advice of course; but then you'd at least have your eyes well open."

"Thanks; I'll do that" said Lazek "It's still going to be pretty hard for any goblin to make a well paid living that isn't a little dodgy; but I know this scrap merchant, who'd pay good money for someone who can do the revellaspell and who'd be a general assistant; and who might be able to break some of the minor curses on things, or at least recognise when a real curse breaker is needed."

"It sounds like a good job" said Jade "I take it the junk is of the 'and no questions asked' kind; but if you know nothing and keep it that way, there's nothing that can be pinned on you legally. And you are wise to recognise your own limitations on curse breaking. Should you wish to study theory in your spare time, and practise your defensive spells there's no reason you shouldn't do a ZP as an external student in Arithmancy and Dark Arts any time in the future. I imagine that Professor Bacsó might well let you study her books if you asked nicely. And too I hope you'll let us know how you get on!" she smiled. "The rest of you who are staying on, the seven of you, we felt that we couldn't split in terms of behaviour or hard work, so we thought that we would make you all prefects from next year. This will mean you will supervise younger ones in prep periods to give the staff a break; with more years of students we all have more hours of actual teaching to do. You will have the right to set lines – up to ten repetitions, and if you wish to avoid staff involvement for more than the usual 'I should not slide down the banisters without due care and attention' then you can set poems; multiplying effectively the amount of writing. I'll be your form teacher and you can always ask advice and I'll take off my professor's hat and Nefrita won't tell the Frau Professor a thing, I promise!"

They laughed.

"This too teaches us independence does it not, because if we have responsibility to others, we must also have responsibility towards ourselves and how we handle that" said Biirta.

"Yes; well reasoned. And for comments like that, as well as you being the only person to come and ASK when there were the silly rumours over the governors we decided to make you Head Girl" said Jade. "We'll be announcing all this at breakfast tomorrow. And by the way, the hard work is NOT over; you can have the rest of the week off, then next week you start preparing for your ZH's and the extra ZP's some of you are taking; because we taught you to pass an exam. In the rest of the term and over the holidays – those of you who are not orphans I'm going to ask you to give up some of your holiday, three weeks in the middle – you are going to learn those things that will fill in your knowledge of how to use the subjects for life, and for taking further, since some techniques are taught in subjects that are of little use to you and are at best mentioned briefly in some questions at ZP but which are necessary building blocks for the ZH. Are you willing?"

They all nodded and murmured affirmation. Biirta was looking rather stunned; and Magda squeezed her arm and whispered congratulations.

"We DO have the eyes of the media on us, unfortunately" said Wulf "Apparently there are lame brained fools out there who want to know how you, particularly the goblins, feel about getting qualifications; for some reason they think you may feel differently to the thousands of human children who feel an equal sense of achievement."

"There is more, though sir" said Ktell "Winning the right to carry a wand is more of an achievement than just the qualifications. It's as though we suddenly became people for the majority. Or at least those who hold power; I don't quite know how many goblins there are by proportion to humans."

"Numbers over all are about even" said Wulf "But in areas where goblins are congregated they tend to outnumber the humans living nearby by up to two to one. Will you then like to make a statement on behalf of the class?"

"Sir, I'd be honoured; if the class is willing" said Ktell "And if you lot are, perhaps you'll let me know if there's a point you want to make."

"Seconded and carried that Ktell has the job; I don't want it" said Kole. "Lazek, you might get shit from the media in your home town; best you and Ktell talk things out so you don't end up sounding like you're contradicting each other, we all know what the press is like."

Lazek nodded. He knew that if he put a foot wrong and spoke out of turn it could rebound on his whole family; not least in irritating Madam Bacsó and stop her sponsoring his siblings.

Ktell and Lazek bashed out a statement and a few points to make while they waited for their results; and meantime the heads announced the appointment of the new sixth to be prefects all, and that Biirta was head girl.

"We thought long and hard about the fagging system too" said Wulf "Not wishing to see it installed in the form it is now in Durmstrang; but we have decided that prefects may have one or more fags to run minor errands and that those fags become the responsibility of the said prefect in the way of a younger sibling. This will be particularly valuable to those youngsters who are orphans and have nobody. Duties will include carrying up Kaffee und Kuchen if a prefect prefers to take such in their common room – they should be old enough to be trusted not to make a mess – or carry messages or do small – repeat SMALL chores. Fags are not servants; and should not be asked to do errands greater than those one might expect a small sibling to do for a favour. No child has to be a fag and may refuse if asked; and indeed a child may volunteer to fag for a senior he or she thinks convivial. Those of you who have siblings may consider sorting that out before next term; or you may prefer, as was generally customary, that your sibling fag for a friend. Other arrangements might be made; Herr Kesselring, for example, took great care of his fag at Durmstrang on the understanding that she would accept his half siblings as fags in her turn and see to their wellbeing. In a school where social position counts, it's a way of making social contacts. In a school where academic excellence counts, it's more a way for a junior to attach himself to someone who is taking to a higher level a subject he like, in the hopes of hints with homework; and maybe ultimately a good recommendation when applying for a job in a similar field to his sponsor. I have to say that this fagging system WILL be experimental; and should there be any abuses it will be ended forthwith. Very well; the prefects have their powers from today, and will dropped in the deep end from prep this evening when the supervising prefect will, for the time being, be drawn by lot. Please carry on with your breakfast!"

oOoOo

It was another two days before the owl post brought the results; and Wulf opened the package.

"I shan't make you wait" he said "As I call out your name and the results, you may come and collect your certificates; which for the non humans among you are your guarantee to permit you to carry your wand. And if you come to my office after breakfast I'll see about encasing them in the new flexible glass that has been invented in England to preserve them from creases and stains so you can roll them up and carry them with you. It was an offshoot of a Metalworking project on the part of one of Hogwart's Marauders, Ming Chang, if you are interested, just to show you that schoolchildren CAN be at the cutting edge of technology! First gan Doric, Kole; full ZAP with pass at O+ in Dark Arts and E in Arithmancy with three ZP's at grade A in Dark Arts, E in ancient Runes and A in enchanting. Well done Kole."

He read through the list in alphabetical order; and if some of the a grades were close scrapes there were no actual fails in any subject; which meant that all the children were assured their ZAP at least! Gauda had ZPs in Dark Arts at E, Transfiguration at A and an A too for her geomancy; and Gauda knew she could improve on that with more time at ZH. Gunnar was the class star and was cheered by the whole school for managing six passes at ZP, reaching an O for his best subject, transfigurations, E in Dark Arts and Arithmancy and A in the other three subjects. Biirta smiled wryly to be announced after so great a result, having achieved the five subjects of ZAP – which for her was a triumph have feared failure in the Transfiguration – and achieving passes at ZP in potions and Arithmancy. Ktell, although passing his ZAP , had only the one ZP, in dark arts; though he had achieved the grade of E.

Magda was delighted to have passed the ZAP potions exam; like Biirta it was a personal best. And only Wulf knew in the covering details that she had passed only by one mark! Like her friend Biirta too, Magda had achieved her two ZP's in care of beasts and transfigurations, equally at A. Lazek relaxed when his results were read out; A grade across the board in his ZAP, nothing to re-take, and he would proudly carry his certificate. Lazek was not lazy; but he was not one to do more than was necessary and was actually deeply relieved that he had done enough!

Finally Shizue's results were read out; she had taken four of her five ZAP subjects as ZP and had passed them all; with an E at transfiguration, the rest A. But they were passes.

oOoOo

There was a press conference that afternoon; and Ktell stepped forward.

"My class mates have asked me to make a brief statement" he said. "Not because I'm the cleverest; far from it. But I do have the gift of the gab and I'm not as shy as some of them. Those of us who have been through the mill of the accelerator class are all of us more grateful than we can express for having been given the opportunity at schooling; and tremendously proud of ourselves AND of our tireless and dedicated teachers that we managed to make the grade. Had we waited another year I know we would all have made better grades - though one of my friends is swotty enough to have taken an O in one of his ZP's – and to have taken all his exams ZP not just one or two, as have most of us, alongside the ZAP. It's been tremendously hard; I won't deny that. But it's been worth every minute of grind. And I must say, I am looking forward to the ZH course at a more regular rate almost as a rest cure! Not all of us are planning on staying on for higher education; but having once been offered it, there are those of us who are not about to turn that down. And whilst it is important to those of us who are goblins that we should now be wand-carrying members of the wizarding community, to show that we DO have the dedication and brains to take a course of study, it is to most of us more important that the thirst for knowledge is assuaged with this school; because those of us who did so well did so, I think, because we longed to learn. I know there have been those who worry about educated goblins wanting to lead uprisings; I think leading an uprising is a foolish idea and frankly, anyone with an education would look upon such an idea as futile and counterproductive. There have been no such uprisings after all in England where the first goblin to take ZP equivalents did so eight years ago. I think that the inference is plain; that education clears muddy thinking and enables clearer communication, removing resentments and building bridges. I have two best friends from school; one a goblin, one a human. And I have to think to remember that Gunnar is different to me. Apart from in the fact that he's a sight more talented than anyone else in the class" he added "I for one just want to make my way in the world once I finish at school; and do a job for which my training has suited me. I don't really think there's anything more to say" he said.

"What job ARE you aiming for?" called a reporter.

"I'm being unambitious enough to aim for curse breaker's assistant; and secretly ambitious enough to hope to become a curse breaker" said Ktell. "I achieved only one ZP which I'm taking to ZH; alongside three other ZPs. I'm not as bright as a lot of people; more sort of steady and solid and if any of my friends says that's solid from the neck up there's going to be a jinx or two involved. I'm sort of hoping to be good enough to help the sponsor of one of our pupils from lower down the school to expand his business; after all I SHALL be studying the English art of Chanting to break even stubborn curses. And so far as I am aware, Herr Jaromir Frolik of Neubrandenberg is the only curse breaker in Germany using chanting; and maybe if I advertise him now, It'll improve my chances of a job" he grinned.

The reporters laughed.

"You can only try, boy" said the one who had asked the question. "What other careers are your fellows hoping for?"

"Two of the girls are planning, after ZH to train as Healers in the new teaching hospital we're to have in association with the school" said Ktell; Wulf had shared the news of it with his sixth form. "The idea being that nurses can train in nursing in the hospital and also take classes in ZAP subjects in the school to give them a higher level of education to make them better nurses; able to mix simple potions without having to take up the time of a healer, able to deal with medical transfigurations of minor fractures and cuts as a nurse should be able to. And some of those youngsters who come to school and take ZAP and do not feel like going any further might then transfer to train in nursing. The idea is to continue the concept of having roving healers to visit outlying communities as well as having a hospital with all the most modern facilities as a free hospital."

"We are hoping too to attract some free elves to work on the nursing staff" put in Wulf. "I was going to announce the free hospital at a later date but as it's come up I may as well tell you now that it will be a centre of ritual healing for those problems which other hospitals have given up on. The Head Healer is a skilled medical transfigurationist whose younger son could only be cured of a particularly complex condition by using a chant; and he is keen to aid other parents who have supposedly incurable children. There has also been an endowment from the father of a child whose heart was beyond the repair of the best conventional methods, who was cured, as it happens, by my wife while she was at Durmstrang. And we thank him for his generosity; and the heart and lung wards will be named after the family, as the Fernandez Ward. The builders have actually arrived it you notice, in the field below the cliff. We're installing a cable car up to the school for the nurses ascending for their classes. You'll know healers trained here; in addition to their normal blood red robes they'll wear gentian blue trim to associate themselves with our gentian blue, flame and grey uniform. And the nurses will have gentian and flame trim on their white robes; perhaps a minor point, but worth telling your readers that such will stand for excellence."

"And free care" said a reporter cynically.

"And free care" said Wulf "And if anyone is proud and wants to make a donation for their treatment we're not so proud we won't accept it."

"What's your involvement with the hospital? Other than training the nurses in general subjects?" asked another reporter.

"My wife and I are backing it financially" said Wulf. "As my wife is one of the most experienced chanters in the world she has seen a lot of cases where such new techniques are needed; and as England is rather backward in this respect – the top hospital, St Mungo's is resisting new techniques – this will put Germany at the cutting edge of modern healing. Beauxbatons is studying chanting in healing at the request of their hospitals but we shall be starting here with tried chanters in place. Moreover, we have been given samples of freely given unicorn blood from a tame unicorn and the hospital will be using potioneering techniques to increase this for the worst cases; and will too be studying experimentally ways to make a synthetic unicorn blood by analysing the active ingredients, something I believe has never been done before. Whilst one cannot rely on supplies from a willing donor, if it IS possible to duplicate something almost as efficacious that would be a great breakthrough. Have you any other questions for Ktell? Because if not, the children ARE putting in their last couple of weeks of term to make sure they are properly prepared for their ZH classes and would very much like to get back to it."

"They're bloody gluttons for punishment if you ask me, Professor!" said one. "Well that kinda destroys the myth that goblins are feckless and lazy!"

"Sir; there are some feckless and lazy goblins even as there are feckless and lazy humans" said Ktell "what I think you'll find is the sad truth is that poverty makes people apathetic; unless they take to crime as a means to keep body and soul together. Both are soul destroying, and it isn't only goblins in such a poverty trap. Before I got sidetracked onto the hospital I was going to tell you that there are those coming up the school hoping to improve small businesses in which their families have worked in order to generate more wealth not just in goblin communities but across society. The per capita income in the German sphere is lower than anywhere else in Europe; we'd like to see that change. Yes I DO want to run a revolution; a revolution of Germany's explosion of industry, returning to our country's traditional role as the top manufacturer in the world!"

"Well said lad" said Wulf, quietly "You just became 'the patriotic goblin' I'm afraid; as newsmen like labels. But it's a positive message."

Ktell grinned.

"And cynically put together too sir" he murmured back.

"You'll do" said Wulf.

The newsmen milled a little, determining that Shizue and Gauda wanted to teach, that Gunnar was torn between teaching and being a healer, and that Kole felt that teaching helped repay all that had been done for him unless he became an Anwalt. Lazek answered happily that he was content to leave school to help support his family so cleverer siblings had a better education so he might be able to help with the fees and not be beholden and planned to take his skills into industry in his own country; it sounded better than being a scrap merchant. He had asked to leave right after the interview to start earning as soon as possible; and Wulf agreed it made sense and wished him luck before apparating him to his home.

It may be noted that his employer later said

"Gawd, kid, we're industry now are we?" to which Lazek shrugged and pointed out that a recycling centre did have more cache than junk yard; and got a raise on the spot for turning his education to clever-arse stuff.

oOoOo

Ktell was plastered across the front of several periodicals as 'the patriotic goblin' as Wulf had predicted. He received several letters of congratulations from readers, three death threats and a marriage proposal which he declared scarier than the death threats.

oOoOo

And the school went back to normal for the short remainder of the term; and culminated in a feast.

"May I say" said Wulf "How tremendously proud all the staff and I are of all of you; of your industry and dedication. You have all done really well; and stuck to it. I hope you continue to do so; we've had a very favourable press so far. Let's try to keep it that way; NO showing off in the holidays, and as it's a school rule that I keep your wands, no temptation to use them. Those of you who DO cast wandlessly DO try to be discreet when colouring the, er, flatulence of those who irritate you. Try to stay out of fights; I know it's going to be hard for those of you who get taunted about taking a sissy education instead of a man's job; if you can, take a holiday job that shows you are as hard as any of them. I would suggest you might tell any who are longing for a fight that you are sorry but that as you learn to fight at school you don't want to hurt them; which won't work in most cases, but then you HAVE warned them when you use Kung Fu to flatten them and I never advised that. Don't boast; it's unseemly. I seem to be giving you a list of don'ts; so here are some do's. DO have a good holiday; do get a good rest ready to work hard next year when you'll all be the old hands showing little ones about. DO try to get any holiday assignments done early on so you don't have to worry about them; DO note if you had difficulty with them so we can help you. DO remember that term starts on the first day of September; and DO remember to pack your brains to bring back with you. I'm sure your parents are all keen to see your yearly report and your grades and class placement; it's something parents like to see. And do also remember that kind hearts are better than high grades and that education is about more than numbers of qualifications but about learning to co-operate and to use your skills in the best way for YOU. And the staff are all here to approach if you have any subject you wish help in. This first long holiday will give you the chance to reflect on what you have learned; and perhaps on what you would like to learn. So without more ado, I'm going to say let the feast begin!"

There were rousing cheers; less formal than those generally raised in the likes of Hogwarts, Prince Peak or Durmstrang; but heartfelt and sincere. And as the butterbeer was passed around someone began a drinking song; and the feast was heartily heralded with song.

And the only thing to be concerned about was whether these young people, taller, better fed and healthier for the greater part than when they had first arrived, would eat their families out of house and home in the holidays for being used to plenty of good food.

There would be those willing to employ them in temporary jobs out of sheer curiosity; and from that they might earn enough for their increased appetites, enhanced by the gruelling work of casting spells.

Wulf banged on the table.

"One more thing!" he said "You've been eating more than usual because of the hard work of spell casting; I do hope you won't come back overweight for expecting to pack away as much without the energy use to burn it off! If you get a holiday job, that's different – because it's the same level of work. And those of you in the ECC, DO try to keep up your fitness regime; it WILL help your spell sustaining remember!"

It was a good way to hint that they would NOT need to eat so much unless they DID get a job to pay for it.

And it was the end of the first year; and really it had gone very well.

"And no problems yet" said Wulf happily to Jade.

"Anyone would think you'd been to Hogwarts to call an attack of racists 'no problem'" teased Jade. "I'm glad Lucius is on the job of getting us a divination teacher; and too that Berthold ran away to school. We would have defeated them; but possibly at the cost of some lives if it had not been marauders at the front."

"True enough" said Wulf soberly "What's the solution?"

"A circle that warns if anyone crosses it with floating scrying globes concealed about the grounds to check out our infiltration" said Jade. "We can chant that up in a trice and lay it on top of the anti-apparating zone. No sweat."

Wulf nodded; and was glad that for his talented little wife it WAS no sweat.

And he was already looking forward to the next term when they would have a more or less proper school with first through lower sixth classes, even if the fifth only had three members. It was all very exciting!

**finis**

6


End file.
